1. Overall Assessment, Maritime Challenge and Policy Recommendations
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION:
Overall Assessment, Maritime Challenge and Policy Recommendations
Kleanthis Kyriakidis, MA, MS, MPA, PhDc –
Dr. Petros Siousiouras

2. Outline/ Overview Introduction Categories Countries of Origin
Perception of Peril
The Failure of Artificial Obstacles
Current Situation (EU – Greece)
Policy Recommendations

3. Introduction Migration as a phenomenon Preconditions
Survival
Hope of a better life
Preconditions
Seek for a “new home”
Sharing common values/ aspirations
Greek behaviour
Effect of the economic crisis
Maritime Challenge

4. Countries of Origin Afghanistan (usually first)
Pakistan (usually second)
Tunisia (first in 2011 due to the “Arab Spring”)
Syria (second in 2012 due to the “Arab Spring”)
Bangladesh
Albania (first European country)

7. Perception of Peril Recent Survey in 6 EU countries: Unemployment?
Germany 46%
Italy 56% “legal immigrants responsible for the rise of criminal activities”
Unemployment?
Social Security System
Labor exploitation?
Pressure on Public Services
Some Criminal Activities

9. The Failure of Artificial Obstacles
If Maritime Nation, Crossing Sea Borders (In Greece it used to be the case before 2010)
More vulnerable, less controllable
Men at sea!
Costly Search and Rescue Operations!
Displacement of the problem instead of Reduction

10. The Failure of Artificial Obstacles
EU problem, not local!
Greek legal immigrants 4% and illegal immigrants 8% of population (est. 2013)
Italy and Malta had illegal immigrants from Libya and Tunisia in 2011.
“Do or Die” mentality
Irregular migration as a by-product of combating other problems (like piracy)

11. Current Situation Both Fewer Incidents – Less Unauthorized Immigrants
For the Wrong Reasons!
Economic Crisis makes EU less desirable destination
Ultra-Nationalism, Xenophobia, Islamophobia
Greece MVP – (Most Vulnerable Point): Evros River, Sea Borders, Albania
Ongoing Arab Spring (Syria)!

12. Policy Recommendations
Synergy (Solidarity + Burden Sharing)
FRONTEX (greater budget, greater role, end-state?)
Local authorities (Greek operations “Xenios Zeus” and “Shield”)
Financial aid to the South
Expertise (e.g. NMIOTC role)

13. Policy Recommendations
Combating traffickers through harsh punishments
For EU: Change/ Abolish 2003/343/CE (“Dublin II”)
EU Parliamentary Assembly acknowledged it as unfair and asked for its revision and fairer implementation + “Moratorium on returns to Greece of asylum seekers”
Address the Root Causes

14. Overall Assessment, Maritime Challenge and Policy Recommendations
ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION:
Overall Assessment, Maritime Challenge and Policy Recommendations
Kleanthis Kyriakidis, MA, MS, MPA, PhDc