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The man who was supposed to bring order to the Greek refugee chaos had a completely different job in July: Manos Logothetis worked as a doctor at that time, and he provided refugees in his practice on the Greek Aegean island of Samos.
Logothetis decided who was too ill to stay in the crowded camp. He was a cog in a system that did not work. Logothetis took out blankets and other equipment, stored the things in his basement. He helped refugees as best he could without breaking the rules.
Socrates Baltagiannis
Manos Logothetis
Now, half a year later, the new Conservative Greek government has made him the Commissioner for the reception centers. Winter is approaching and Manos Logothetis now has to solve the problem that he has always warned about: the numbers of refugees are rising again and the Greek asylum system is about to collapse. New rules have to come, time is pressing.
For months, more and more refugees have arrived on the Greek islands in the Aegean Sea. Most come from Afghanistan or Syria, they sit on the Turkish coast in inflatable boats. It costs about $ 700 per person to drive with the smugglers.
As many migrants as since the end of the refugee crisis anymore
In August, 8,103 migrants arrived in this way. As many as since the end of the refugee crisis anymore. In the night from Sunday to Monday alone, 227 migrants reached Lesbos. That's still far less than 2015 and 2016, when thousands arrived in one day; Nevertheless, the increase has alarmed the Greek authorities. What matters is how they react to it.
The focus is on the refugee pact between the EU and Turkey. He reduced the number of translating in the Aegean refugees from 2016 by 97 percent. Among other things, the EU undertook to pay six billion euros to Turkey to help with the placement of refugees. In return, Turkey tightened border management and intercepted refugees. This part of the pact worked.
What did not work: After a lightning test, the EU wanted to send all migrants back to Turkey, where there is no danger. So refugees should be prevented from crossing. In return, the EU promised visa facilitation and direct reception of Syrian refugees from Turkey. To date, however, few refugees have been sent back to Turkey.
The result: The camps on the islands are so crowded that the Greek government must increasingly bring migrants to the mainland. 1500 were on a single day in the past week on Lesvos - 4500 it will be according to Greek data in total.
The Greek government does not have another choice: for years, refugees have lived on the islands under inhuman conditions, and now it is getting even closer. Last week, Greek police used tear gas after underage refugees rebelled on Lesbos. They wanted to be transferred to the mainland.
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Refugees on Lesbos: "I hate this place"The Refugee Pact hangs by a thread. The Greek government wants to save him now, inter alia, implementing the aspects of the pact that are still not working properly today. Manos Logothetis says: "We want to fully implement the agreement, including repatriation to Turkey."
Greece would have to change its asylum practice. So far, the procedures take far too long. Several refugees are already on the mainland before the Greek authorities have closed the case and can bring people to Turkey.
The plan, which would have to be partially approved by the parliament:
- In a new asylum law, which could be adopted in October, the Greek government wants to identify Turkey as a safe third country .
- In addition, the objections of refugees could in future be heard directly in a court of law. So far, this has been done in front of a committee of two judges and a lawyer proposed by the UN Refugee Agency. Whether the way through the court is faster, is open. So far, Greek dishes have not been noticed by special speed.
- The criteria for sending refugees to the mainland because they are particularly vulnerable could be standardized. Currently, each camp doctor decides more or less on his own how he uses them. Currently, sooner or later, 85 percent of refugees are classified as vulnerable and left on the mainland.
- In addition, Greece could at least try to expand the pact: "We could also bring people from the mainland back to Turkey, " says Logothetis. At the weekend, the Deputy Interior Minister Georgios Koumoutsakos had made similar statements to the "world".
Whether this idea would help is unclear. Many refugees submerge as soon as they are on the Greek mainland. That's why the pact once intended to hold them on the islands in the Aegean Sea.
Germany urges Greece to return refugees to Turkey
German authorities urge the Greek government for SPIEGEL information to finally apply the pact as decided. At a meeting between German and Greek officials, the Germans made it clear how important that is in their view.
The pact is like a player in a football team who sits permanently on the bench because the coach does not turn him in, the Germans said. If the player is not good enough, you can replace him again - but at least he must finally be brought into play.
The Germans are particularly worried because migratory pressure is already rising at the border between Greece and northern Macedonia. There begins the so-called Balkan route. In August alone, Frontex stopped 7,000 migrants here. The figures are so high that the Greek authorities release arrested migrants because they have no accommodation for them. Many then try again to reach Northern Europe.
Erdogan and Mitsotakis go public
In parallel with the wrestling behind the scenes, the new Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan publicly test their powers. Last Thursday Erdogan threatened the EU openly. Either she helps to set up a buffer zone for refugees in northern Syria, or he opens the gates.
On Sunday, Mitsotakis responded to a press conference. Asked by SPIEGEL on the refugee issue, he directly blamed Turkey for the increase in numbers. It is impossible that the Turkish Coast Guard would not notice more than 500 refugees, he said. Especially since the Greek authorities had pointed their Turkish colleagues to the boats. "It is Turkey's job to stop the boats," says Mitsotakis. "We inform them and if they do not answer that says something about our neighbors' point of view."
Mitsotakis hinted at last week's Thursday, when 13 refugee boats landed on Lesvos within an hour. Such a coordinated action had not existed since the entry into force of the Refugee Pact. The Greek Cabinet switched to alarm mode, informed the EU and ordered the Turkish Ambassador.
Erdogan is also under pressure
In fact, Erdogan personally never was a big fan of the Refugee Pact. The details of the agreement were negotiated in 2016 by then Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu with the Europeans. Erdogan scoffed at him shortly afterwards, partly because Davutoglu was getting too much attention for the deal in his eyes.
For the Turkish president, the deal is a barter deal: he only feels bound to it for as long as he claims to benefit from it. It was like that for a while. Turkey is home to 3.6 million Syrians, who the state needs to take care of anyway. If he still gets money and other favors from the EU, so the calculation in Ankara, the better.
Meanwhile, however, the parameters have shifted: the government in Ankara has come under pressure for its liberal refugee policy in its own population. The economic crisis has led many Turks to increasingly perceive Syrians as competitors in the labor market. According to polls, a majority of citizens now want refugees to leave Turkey.
In the past, Erdogan has repeatedly threatened without consequences to rupture the refugee deal. His latest warning should nevertheless take the Europeans seriously. Erdogan is under pressure from domestic defeats in the local elections in Istanbul and Ankara as never before in his career. He has to present his citizens successes.
Greece wants to negotiate
Mitsotakis wants to talk to Erdogan. Actually, the government in Athens is campaigning for a system that distributes the incoming refugees in solidarity to all European states. But since that is not in sight, she is relying on the pact with Turkey, of necessity. In the end, Mitsotakis believes, it's about money. Turkey must continue to receive help in the future.
The Refugee Pact was once based on the assumption that Turkey was a safe country for refugees. If Erdogan continues to deport refugees to Syria, the criticism of the pact could also louder from the EU, the planned repatriations could be even more difficult.
This is also known by Manos Logothetis. He is currently having Greek refugee camps expanded and winterized. On Samos soon a new larger camp will be opened, the authorities want to hire 200 new asylum officials.
If, however, significantly more people translate from Turkey, Greece would be overwhelmed, he says. Despite all measures. "This is a moment of truth," says Logothetis. "Either we change the pact and it works, or it breaks."
This article is part of the project Global Society, for which our reporters report from four continents. The project is long-term and supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
What is the project Global Society?
Under the title Global Society, reporters from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Europe will be reporting on injustices in a globalized world, socio-political challenges and sustainable development. The reportages, analyzes, photo galleries, videos and podcasts appear in the Politics Department of SPIEGEL. The project is long-term and will be supported over three years by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).
Are the journalistic contents independent of the foundation?
Yes. The editorial content is created without the influence of the Gates Foundation.
Do other media have similar projects?
Yes. Major European media such as "The Guardian" and "El País" have created similar sections on their news pages with "Global Development" or "Planeta Futuro" with the support of the Gates Foundation.
Was there already similar projects at SPIEGEL ONLINE?
SPIEGEL ONLINE has already implemented two projects in recent years with the European Journalism Center (EJC) and the support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: The "Expedition The Day After tomorrow" on Global Sustainability Goals and the journalistic refugee project "The New Arrivals" Several award-winning multimedia reports on the topics of migration and escape have emerged.
Where can I find all the publications on the Global Society?
The pieces can be found at SPIEGEL ONLINE on the topic page Global Society.
