Blocked from the System
Voices of People Excluded from the Asylum Procedure on Mainland Greece, Crete and Rhodes
MAY 2022
"It is disgraceful that people-on-the-move who wish to register their asylum claim are forced to take actions which increase their risk of being pushed back, causing a huge amount of added stress and fear.
As the temporary protection recently offered to thousands of Ukrainians shows, the Greek authorities are very much capable of implementing a system which enables safe access to asylum, shelter and basic services. They must apply this protection on an equal and non-discriminatory basis."
- Manon Louis, Advocacy Officer at Mobile Info Team
Blocked from the System focuses on the experiences of people seeking asylum on mainland Greece, Crete and Rhodes since the policy changes in late November 2021.
This major change saw the termination of the Skype pre-registration system for first instance claims, and introduced the intention for all arrivals to go through reception and identification centre procedures. However, six months after the issue of the Circular, and despite the promise of two new reception centres, only one remains operational on mainland Greece. As a result, there are just three narrow avenues into the asylum procedure: through Fylakio Reception and Identification Centre, by evidencing a vulnerability or registering a police note.
Our research highlights the multiple significant barriers that people face in attempting to register their asylum claims. Despite the termination of the flawed Skype system, people continue to be forced to remain undocumented for extensive periods of time and are blocked from accessing international protection in Greece. This deprives people of support from social services, cash assistance, the labour market, healthcare systems or accommodation. Our conversations with people excluded from asylum procedures reveal that undocumented people in Greece are facing increased exploitation, ill health and debilitating fear of being illegally pushed back.
We are extremely concerned by the conditions that people are forced to live in as they struggle to register their asylum claims. Without documents, people have no choice but to live on the fringes of society. With a fundamental lack of information, access or uniformity, this procedure is not compatible with the requirements of a fair and efficient system. Instead, it creates a hostile environment that forces people to live in dangerous and undignified situations. This puts people who are in desperate need of safety at further risk of severe physical and psychological harm. People seeking protection in Europe must have access to a safe and dignified asylum process that enables them to rebuild their lives.
