On the 1st of November, we and 35 other NGOs signed an open letter to the Greek Ministry of Migration and Asylum, highlighting the persistent lack of interpretation services for asylum seekers in Greece, which have been severely interrupted since May 2024. While media and civil society actors highlighted the severe shortages in interpreters and other gaps in the provision of interpretation services over the past several months, no concrete measures towards reinstating a functional interpretation system in Greek asylum procedures seem to have been put in place.
Interpretation provision in the Greek asylum and reception services has been severely disrupted since May 2024, when the previous provider of interpretation services, Metadrasi, suspended its operations due to months of delay in payment by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum (MoMA). Publicly accessible documents show that payments for work completed in December 2023 by Metadrasi, were only disbursed by the Ministry in July this year, amounting to a seven-month delay. The Ministry has yet to issue an announcement regarding the reinstatement of interpretation services, which are funded by the Asylum, Migration, and Integration Fund (AMIF) 2021-2027, either in connection with Metadrasi or another provider.
The undersigned organisations have been made aware of multiple instances where as a result of the situation, asylum seekers can hardly progress with their asylum claims or communicate effectively with the authorities, leading to serious consequences on all aspects of their lives:
We urge all recipients of this letter to recognise the gravity of the situation and to take all necessary action to ensure that asylum seekers’ interpretation needs are respected by:
- Immediately reinstating interpretation services by either renewing contracts with the previous provider of interpretation services or with another provider;
- Immediately releasing a statement explaining when procedures will resume and the reasons and impact of the disruption;
- Reinstating as soon as possible all asylum processes that continue to be unavailable, particularly the lodging of subsequent applications and first-instance appeals;
- Issuing interim documents to people having received a first rejection, which will allow them to fully exercise their rights in Greece, including the right to work, to access healthcare, reception services, and cash assistance;
- Taking immediate action to reduce the backlog, which was exacerbated by the suspension, and ensuring that delays in issuing and renewing documents are reduced;
- Ensuring that all people impacted by any future disruptions of asylum procedures (a) are adequately informed of the impact on their access to the asylum procedure and other fundamental rights and (b) have access to temporary documentation protecting them from police checks and arbitrary detention;
- Coordinating with the Ministry of Health to provide immediate interpretation support in healthcare settings, particularly for urgent and emergency care.
SIGNATORIES:
Action for Women
ARSIS Association for the Social Support of Youth
Avocats Sans Frontières France
Centre for Gender Rights and Equality DIOTIMA
Collective Aid
Changemakers Lab
Doctors Without Borders-Greek section
Dråpen i Havet / Stagona
ECHO100PLUS
Equal Legal Aid
European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL)
Equal Rights Beyond Borders
Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid
Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)
Greek Forum of Migrants
Greek Forum of Refugees
HIAS Greece
I Have Rights
Inter Alia
INTERSOS HELLAS
Irida Center
Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Greece
Legal Centre Lesvos
Lesvos Solidarity
Lighthouse Relief
Mazí Housing
Mobile Info Team
Project Armonia
Refugee Legal Support
Safe Passage International
Samos Volunteers
Second Tree
Symbiosis-Council of Europe School of Political Studies in Greece
Thalassa of Solidarity
Velos Youth
Yoga and Sport with Refugees