Seeking Sanctuary across the Sea: Why the Influx of Refugees and Asylum Seekers to Greece Requires Major Policy Changes
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SEEKING SANCTUARY ACROSS THE SEA:
WHY THE INFLUX OF REFUGEES AND
ASYLUM SEEKERS TO GREECE
REQUIRES MAJOR POLICY
CHANGES
I. INTRODUCTION
The Mediterranean countries on the periphery of Europe,
such as Spain, Portugal, Italy, and Greece, have received more
than 300,000 persons seeking international protection by sea in
2016.1 Currently, Greece is host to approximately 57,000 of
these individuals who have fled their homeland in the hopes of a
better, safer life in the European Union.2 Unfortunately, these
refugees and asylum seekers have not found the haven they
were expecting; instead, they are perpetually waiting in interim
camps for official documentation of their status while Greece
faces criticisms for the deplored conditions of these temporary
homes.3 The influx of refugees into the European Union, par-
1. See Refugees/Migrants Emergency Response-Mediterranean: Regional Over-
view, UNHCR, http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean/regional.php (last visited Nov. 13,
2016) [hereinafter Regional Overview] (listing statistical information regarding arriv-
als of refugees). In 2015, there were 1,015,078 arrivals of refugees and asylum seekers
from the Middle East and Northern Africa coming by sea. Id. October of 2015 was a
peak month for arrivals, with approximately 221,374 arrivals of refugees and asylum
seekers by sea. Id. In comparison, there were only 30,354 refugee and asylum seekers
in October of 2016. Id. The escalation of refugee and asylum seeker arrivals began in
April of 2015. Id. Scholars also refer to asylum seekers as asylees. Definition of
Asylee, MERRIAM-WEBSTER.COM, http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/asylee
(last visited Nov. 19, 2016).
2. See Liz Alderman, Aid and Attention Dwindling, Migrant Crisis Intensifies in
Greece, N.Y. TIMEs (Aug. 13, 2016), www.nytimes.com/2016/08/14/world/europe/mi-
grant-crisis-greece.html?_r=0 (reporting on refugee situation in Greece). At the time
of writing this piece, Greece was housing nearly 60,000 refugees. Id. While, as a
whole, Europe is an attractive destination for fleeing refugees and asylum seekers,
Greece in particular faces insurmountable waves of arrivals as a nation of first con-
tact. Id. The geographical positioning of Greece metaphorically makes the country
a gateway to the rest of the European Union, especially to the wealthier nations in the
northern portions of the continent. Id. Many refugees and asylees arrive in Greece
hoping to continue through to other European nations. Id. The Greek asylum sys-
tems are overburdened; the nation struggles to process each application as per the
laws of the European Union. Id.
3. See id. (describing conditions of camps). The delays in the processing of asy-
lum applications and refugee status protections have led to overcrowding in the tem-
porary housing camps. Id. Greek officials initially promised a deadline of a few
weeks to complete applications of refugees staying in a camp in Idomeni, but those](ViewImageLocal?handle=hein.journals/sujtnlr41&div=6&collection=&method=preview&ext=.png&size=3)
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Seeking Sanctuary across the Sea: Why the Influx of Refugees and Asylum Seekers to Greece Requires Major Policy Changes
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