{"id":11849,"date":"2021-09-08T11:00:47","date_gmt":"2021-09-08T08:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/?p=11849"},"modified":"2021-12-14T18:30:44","modified_gmt":"2021-12-14T15:30:44","slug":"faq-greek-safe-third-country-list","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/faq-greek-safe-third-country-list\/","title":{"rendered":"6 Questions &#038; Answers on the unlawful Greek \u201csafe third country\u201d list"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"11849\" class=\"elementor elementor-11849\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-21c4f18 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"21c4f18\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e750d24\" data-id=\"e750d24\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1b93f7b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"1b93f7b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-medium\">The dismantling of the Greek asylum system<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-af49773 elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"af49773\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-6622ffb\" data-id=\"6622ffb\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9a2a3ea elementor-hidden-desktop elementor-hidden-tablet elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"9a2a3ea\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-large\">6 Questions &amp; Answers on the unlawful Greek \u201csafe third country\u201d list<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-710e515 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"710e515\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a500231\" data-id=\"a500231\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b08ef29 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"b08ef29\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-large\">The dismantling of the Greek asylum system<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-0809be8 elementor-hidden-phone elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"0809be8\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-77c5e35\" data-id=\"77c5e35\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f452208 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"f452208\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">6 Questions &amp; Answers on the unlawful Greek \u201csafe third country\u201d list<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-ac8b266 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ac8b266\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-ece6913\" data-id=\"ece6913\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5cca243 elementor-widget elementor-widget-shortcode\" data-id=\"5cca243\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"shortcode.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-shortcode\"><style>#sp-ea-11850 .spcollapsing { height: 0; overflow: hidden; transition-property: height;transition-duration: 500ms;}#sp-ea-11850.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single {margin-bottom: 10px; border: 1px solid #cededc; }#sp-ea-11850.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single>.ea-header a {color: #444444;}#sp-ea-11850.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single>.sp-collapse>.ea-body {background: #fff; color: #545454;}#sp-ea-11850.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single {background: #cededc;}#sp-ea-11850.sp-easy-accordion>.sp-ea-single>.ea-header a .ea-expand-icon { float: left; color: #444;font-size: 16px;}<\/style><div id=\"sp_easy_accordion-1775775271\"><div id=\"sp-ea-11850\" class=\"sp-ea-one sp-easy-accordion\" data-ea-active=\"ea-click\" data-ea-mode=\"vertical\" data-preloader=\"\" data-scroll-active-item=\"\" data-offset-to-scroll=\"0\"><div class=\"ea-card ea-expand sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-118500\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse118500\" aria-controls=\"collapse118500\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"true\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-minus\"><\/i> 1.What is the Greek \u201csafe third country\u201d list?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse collapsed show\" id=\"collapse118500\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-118500\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><p>On 7 June 2021, the Greek government adopted secondary legislation (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.e-nomothesia.gr\/kat-allodapoi\/prosphuges-politiko-asulo\/koine-upourgike-apophase-42799-2021.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Joint Ministerial Decision 42799\/2021<\/a>) declaring Turkey a \u201csafe third country\u201d for asylum seekers originating from Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan and Bangladesh.<\/p><p><strong>This makes Greece the only EU Member State besides Hungary to declare Turkey a \u201csafe third country\u201d in a national list.<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-118501\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse118501\" aria-controls=\"collapse118501\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> 2.What are the consequences of the \u201csafe third country\u201d list\u2019 s application?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse \" id=\"collapse118501\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-118501\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><p>The \u201csafe third country\u201d concept is applied as an inadmissibility ground. <strong>As a result of the Decision, the Greek Asylum Service dismisses the asylum claims of asylum seekers originating from these five countries without looking into their merits.<\/strong><\/p><p>The decision introduces the rejection of asylum claims as inadmissible and converts persons of the above five countries from people in need of protection to \u2018returnees\u2019 to Turkey. \u00a0Asylum seekers from these nationalities represent more than 67% of asylum seekers in the country.<\/p><p>Tens of thousands of people, families, men, women and unaccompanied children will end up at risk of <em>refoulement<\/em>, trapped again in detention, without documents or rights.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-118502\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse118502\" aria-controls=\"collapse118502\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> 3.Who does the Decision cover?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse \" id=\"collapse118502\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-118502\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><p><strong>The Joint Ministerial Decision applies to all asylum seekers from Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan and Bangladesh who have not yet been interviewed by the Asylum Service, including people who have been residing in the country for several years.<\/strong> As a result, <strong>three out of five asylum seekers in Greece are denied an examination of their case on the merits.<\/strong><\/p><p>From 2016 to present, the asylum authorities applied the \u201csafe third country\u201d concept to Syrian nationals in the fast-track border procedure. However, following the Decision, the \u201csafe third country\u201d concept is applied throughout the country \u2013 both on the islands and the mainland \u2013 regardless of the type of procedure used. Therefore, people who are not under the fast-track border procedure on the Eastern Aegean islands, including vulnerable persons, are now also affected. It also includes those denied family reunification with family members in other EU Member States, as well as asylum seekers returned from EU Member States.<\/p><p>Only unaccompanied children below the age of 15 are exempt from the application of the Decision.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-118503\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse118503\" aria-controls=\"collapse118503\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> 4.How is the Decision being applied?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse \" id=\"collapse118503\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-118503\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><p>The Asylum Service interviews asylum seekers covered by the Decision solely on \u201csafe third country\u201d grounds. <strong>Interviewers are instructed to ask individuals only about their treatment in Turkey and to refrain from collecting information on the reasons for which they fled their home country.<\/strong> As a result, crucial information on the personal circumstances of asylum seekers is disregarded in the asylum procedure.<\/p><p><strong>The process is very rapidly conducted: interviews for new asylum seekers are scheduled shortly after arrival and decisions are issued a few days or weeks after the interview. The majority of first instance decisions seen so far are negative.<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-118504\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse118504\" aria-controls=\"collapse118504\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> 5.Is the Decision lawful?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse \" id=\"collapse118504\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-118504\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><p><strong>The Decision does not meet the standards set by international and EU law, namely the compliance with the non-refoulement principle.<\/strong> Moreover, <strong>it does not even meet the required methodology rules setting out the process and criteria to assess whether a country qualifies as a \u201csafe third country\u201d<\/strong> for an applicant. The Decision only refers to a recommendation from the Asylum Service, not officially made public to date<em>*<\/em>.\u00a0This recommendation only collates sources of information and reports on Turkey without any further analysis or assessment of how the safety criteria are met.<\/p><p><strong><big>Therefore, the Decision is unlawful.<\/big><\/strong><\/p><p><em>*<\/em> The recommendation was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hias.org\/sites\/default\/files\/greece-equal_rights_press_release_gas_opinion_1.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">obtained<\/a> by civil society organisations.<\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"ea-card sp-ea-single\"><h3 class=\"ea-header\"><a class=\"collapsed\" id=\"ea-header-118505\" role=\"button\" data-sptoggle=\"spcollapse\" data-sptarget=\"#collapse118505\" aria-controls=\"collapse118505\" href=\"#\" aria-expanded=\"false\" tabindex=\"0\"><i aria-hidden=\"true\" role=\"presentation\" class=\"ea-expand-icon eap-icon-ea-expand-plus\"><\/i> 6.Is Turkey a \u201csafe third country\u201d, however?<\/a><\/h3><div class=\"sp-collapse spcollapse \" id=\"collapse118505\" role=\"region\" aria-labelledby=\"ea-header-118505\"> <div class=\"ea-body\"><p>The Decision declares Turkey to be safe for refugees, even though it evidently is not:<\/p><ul><li><strong>Turkey is not fully bound by the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol on Refugees<\/strong>: Non-European refugees \u2013 in this case nationals of Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan and Bangladesh, defined as \u2018returnees\u2019 in the Greek decision \u2013 do not fall under an international protection status pursuant to the Geneva Convention.<\/li><li>Official reports and constant jurisprudence of international courts and bodies demonstrate<strong> systematic and longstanding flagrant violations of human rights and the rule of law in Turkey.<\/strong><\/li><li><strong>Turkey persecutes human rights defenders, has open military fronts with minorities, has invaded Syria and contributed to forced displacement.<\/strong><\/li><\/ul><p><strong><big>Accordingly, Turkey is not a \u201csafe third country\u201d<\/big>.<\/strong><\/p><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-07ebcf4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"07ebcf4\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-d019d15\" data-id=\"d019d15\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-54ee730 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"54ee730\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-60828ec elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"60828ec\" data-element_type=\"section\" data-e-type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-dabd750\" data-id=\"dabd750\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-e-type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7c76d58 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7c76d58\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>RSA supports and represents asylum seekers in navigating the new policy at all stages of the asylum procedure on the islands and the mainland. Our lawyers are helping people prepare for their interviews with the Asylum Service and challenge negative decisions before the Appeals Committees and the courts while contesting the compliance of the Decision with international, constitutional and EU law. Practitioners are exploring avenues to litigate the Decision itself before domestic courts.<\/p><p>RSA has previously mounted legal challenges of the use of the \u201csafe third country\u201d concept by Greece before domestic and international courts. Related cases are pending before the <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/stories-of-refugees-eu-turkey-deal-five-years-of-shame\/\">European Court of Human Rights<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p><p>More information published by RSA can be found below:<\/p><ul><li>RSA et al, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/designation-of-turkey-as-a-safe-third-country\/\">Refugees excluded in Greece: Designation of Turkey as a \u201csafe third country\u201d<\/a>, 12 July 2021.<\/li><li>RSA &amp; PRO ASYL, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/europe-turns-greece-into-a-laboratory-of-anti-refugee-policies\/\">The 1951 refugee convention under fire: Europe turns Greece into a laboratory of anti-refugee policies<\/a>, 18 June 2021.<\/li><li>RSA et al, <a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/greece-deems-turkey-safe-but-refugees-are-not\/\">Greece deems Turkey \u201csafe\u201d, but refugees are not<\/a>, 14 June 2021.<\/li><\/ul>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The dismantling of the Greek asylum system\u200b<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":11861,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[274,243,10,5,137],"tags":[275,18],"class_list":{"0":"post-11849","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-quality-of-the-asylum-procedure","8":"category-facts-and-figures","9":"category-legal-and-case-analysis","10":"category-publications","11":"category-topics","12":"tag-2021-2","13":"tag-featured"},"menu_order":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11849","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11849"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11849\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12196,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11849\/revisions\/12196"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11861"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11849"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11849"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11849"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}