Recognised refugees in Greece left without even minimal support after new interruption of HELIOS programme

The “Hellenic Integration Support for Beneficiaries of International Protection” (HELIOS) programme has been funded by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum since 1 January 2022 “through successive extensions” of funding, and is implemented by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) in cooperation with non-governmental organisations. The programme has been in operation since 1 July 2019 and is the only official integration programme in operation in Greece. Many recognised refugees and asylum seekers do not have access thereto as they do not meet the eligibility requirements.

HELIOS provides services to refugees for a maximum period of twelve months from their recognition. This includes support to recognised refugees’ housing by providing subsidies to those who have secured housing, Greek language and other integration courses, as well as employment support for integration into the labour market.

In recent months there have been significant, persistent problems in its implementation, as well as sporadic interruptions in the operation of the programme due to repeated interruptions of its funding on the part of the Ministry.

Specifically, the programme was suddenly frozen on 1 October 2023. It briefly resumed and was suspended again in November. As a result no new registrations of recognised refugees are accepted. In response to our request for enrolment of Moharam* and his two children, refugees from Afghanistan residing in the Corinth Reception Facility, HELIOS services stated on 2 November that “from 1 November to 30 November 2023, no new registrations in the HELIOS programme and no new submissions of rental contracts will be accepted until further notice. The programme will provide rental subsidies only to already benefiting households , while all other services (integration courses, integration supervision sessions, job counselling sessions, housing workshops) have been suspended as of 1 November 2023.” We received a similar response on 27 November to a related request from Faeza*, Ahmad* and their four children, refugees from Afghanistan residing in the Ritsona Facility.

At the beginning of December, the renewal of the funding for the programme until 31 December 2023 was announced. However, throughout the month of December, the programme was implemented without allowing any new registrations of beneficiaries and without providing any rental subsidies. According to a clarification we received from IOM on 8 December regarding the case of Moharam*, “Until confirmation of the continuation of the programme from 1 January 2024 onwards, the provision of some of the programme services such as integration classes and acceptance of new rental agreements will remain inactive.”

As of 1 January 2024, the programme has been suspended again due to lack of funding. According to an IOM statement: “due to interruption in project funding, the provision of all HELIOS services will be suspended as of 1 January 2024 until further notice.”

In November 2023, the office of Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum Sofia Voultepsi had pledged that HELIOS would continue to operate with funding from the Public Investment Programme, stating that “There have been delays, but not a problem with the operation of the programme itself. The closure of HELIOS has never been discussed”.

According to available data on the programme, 45,221 refugees have benefited from 2019 to 30 November 2023. Of these, 23,377 refugees have secured housing in 7,496 apartments. 11,556 refugees have received job counselling, while 10,081 refugees have attended Greek language courses and are eligible to participate in the Greek language certification exams.

According to media reports, as a result of the interruption of the programme, about 4,000 beneficiaries are at risk of being left homeless on the street, while about 500 employees in the programme are at risk of losing their jobs.

It is necessary and imperative to immediately resume the programme, to ensure its continuous and uninterrupted funding, as well as to expand its criteria and the services provided in order to comprehensively and effectively address systemic deficiencies in refugees’ access to documents and social rights in Greece.