Irregular migrants in the detention centres of Northern Greece – Aspects of a humanitarian crisis
by Thanos Maroukis, Researcher ELIAMEP
During 2010 Greek authorities have witnessed a shift in the routes of irregular migration into Greece. In the first 9 months of 2010 the detention centres of the Evros and Rodopi regions had to manage 31,219 irregular migrant arrivals as opposed to 8,787 in the first 9months of 2009. At the same time, the detention centres at the Greek islands received 15,196 less people during the first 9 months of 2010 compared to last year. This change of smuggling routes has added pressure on Greek authorities, as it did 2-3 years ago when the blockade of irregular migrant flows into Spain and Italy turned the latter towards the Eastern Mediterannean and in particular the Greek-Turkish sea border. Once more, the result is that the minimum standards for humane detention conditions are not met by the detention centres at the Greek borders. This article briefly presents the situation at detention centres in the Evros and Rodopi regions of Northern Greece(i), whilst going further to explain why this is the case, and formulate some policy suggestions thereafter. [More.. »]
