Greece is hosting some 2,220 unaccompanied minors, while the European Union is reporting a growing number of unaccompanied children and adolescents due to the increase of Afghan refugees.
Despite announcing that asylum seeker arrivals are decreasing in Greece, the country's Ministry of Migration and Asylum said on Monday (April 3) that the number of unaccompanied migrant children and teens in the country remains at capacity levels.
The latest figures released indicate that the situation regarding unaccompanied minors remains extremely difficult with over 2,219 still on the record books.
This has been reported after the European Union announced that the number of unaccompanied children who applied for asylum in the European Union from 2021-2022 jumped by 72%. The trend was due to the sharp increase of refugees arriving from Afghanistan, according to the bloc's statistics bureau Eurostat.
The latest figures
According to the latest figures regarding March 2023 released by Greek authorities, Greece currently hosts a total of 2,219 minors: 83% are boys and 17% are girls, staying in various types of accommodation facilities in the country. Overall, Greece has a total capacity of 2,275 places in long-term accommodation centres (shelters, apartments) and an additional 240 places available in emergency facilities.
Figures have remained more or less stable since September 2021 -- a sign that the steady flow of asylum seekers arriving in the country makes it difficult for Greece to reduce the number as the process of relocating children to other EU countries is slow.
Relocation scheme ends
A voluntary scheme by European Union member states to accept unaccompanied migrant children from Greece officially ended Tuesday, raising concern over delays still facing the bloc in hammering out a comprehensive new migration agreement.
The final group of 15 minors hailing from Somalia, Gambia and Pakistan boarded a plane in Athens bound for Lisbon, Portugal, on March 28, bringing the total number of migrant children relocated under the program to 1,368 in 16 countries since 2020, according to officials in Athens.
The European Commission has promised to finalize new migration rules, common across all member states, in 2024 following years of delays. But that leaves Greece with the issue of trying to manage things on its own for the remainder of 2023 at least.
The main sticking point on the new EU deal is centred around the so-called solidarity mechanism, under which member states would be given relocation quotas to assist countries like Greece, Italy and Spain where most of the asylum seekers arrive.
Sofia Voultepsi, the deputy migration minister, said last week that Athens was already in talks with EU member states fora new voluntary scheme, if needed. "Greece alone cannot bear the burden of refugees and immigration. It cannot carry on its shoulders all the unaccompanied children who arrive in our country," she told reporters.
Border fence extension takes centre stage
Meanwhile, in related developments, Greece's Minister of Migration and Asylum reiterated his pledge to extend the border fence at Evros for the entire 200 kilometer of the land border with Turkey, as part of his party's election pledges. "The decision is for us to cover all of the approximately 200 kilometres of the Greek-Turkish border," Mitarakis told Greek television channel Skai TV on Monday (April 3).
"The initial fence was twelve and a half kilometers since 2011. Another 25 kilometers were added to this fence in 2020. The day before yesterday, in the presence of Mr. Theodorikakos and the Prime Minister, an agreement was signed to extend it by another 35 kilometers."
Mitarakis clarified that the extension for another 80 kilometers is already being discussed and added that an additional 100 million euros have been secured from the European Union, from the Border Management Fund, for the accompanying projects required to make this third extension as well.
"In the European Funds approved in 2022 and managed by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum for the next seven years, there are 100 million euros approved for 80 kilometers of additional border surveillance projects," added Mitarakis.