1.3.2. Interpretation The law envisages that interpretation is provided to applicants both during the registration of their asylum request as well as during their interview at first and second instance. 376 In case interpretation in the language of the choice of the applicant is unavailable, interpretation is provided in the official language of the country of origin or in a language that the applicant may reasonably be expected to understand. 377 The Asylum Service uses interpreters in all dealings with the applicants, including the individual interviews. There is no relevant provision for the presence of cultural mediators. The Asylum Code does not include a provision for a specific training or guideline for interpreters. Interpretation for registrations of asylum requests, as well as interviews before the authorities is provided both by interpreters of the NGO METAdrasi and EUAA interpreters, yet challenges continued to be reported in 2025. On 14 May 2024, METAdrasi announced that following the cessation of the provision of interpretation services in the asylum procedures on 6 May, it would also move forward with the cessation of interpretation services throughout Greece’s camps, on account of the expiration and delays in the timely renewal of the contracts it had signed with the MoMA, while once more noting that it had yet to receive due payments for the services provided by its interpreters in the previous months.378 Following these developments, on 17 May 2024, the MoMA issued its own announcement, noting interpretation gaps had been addressed with the support of EUAA personnel and referring to delays, from the side of METAdrasi NGO, in presenting the necessary documents provided by law in order to sign a new contract, as the designated provider of interpretation services. 379 However, despite assurances, throughout 2024 there was nearly no interpretation available within the Asylum Service and extremely limited numbers of interpreters in refugee camps both on the mainland and the Greek islands. 380 Despite the resuming of interpretation services, delays noted affected scheduling and services throughout 2025. As regards remote interpretation, its use continued to be observed frequently and was not limited to remote RAOs and AAUs, that may not have a sufficient number of interpreters. Technical deficiencies and constraints should be taken into consideration when assessing the quality of remote interpretation. When it comes to rare languages, if no interpreter is available to conduct a direct interpretation from that language to Greek (or English in cases examined by EUAA case workers), more interpreters might be involved in the procedure to translate through different languages. 1.3.3. Recording and transcript The Asylum Code provides for the audio recording of the personal interview. A detailed report is drafted for every personal interview, which includes the applicants’ main arguments and all the essential elements of their claim. The audio recording of the interview accompanies the report. For interviews conducted by videoconference, audio recording is compulsory. When audio recording is not available, the report includes a full transcript of the interview and the applicant is invited to certify the accuracy of the content of the report by signing it, with the assistance of the interpreter who also signs it, where present. 381 The applicant may at any time request a copy of the transcript, a copy of the audio file or both. 382 376 377 378 379 380 381 382 Article 82(3) Asylum Code. Article 74(3) Asylum Code. METAdrasi, End of the provision of interpretation services in the asylum procedures and the Reception and Identification Centres throughout Greece, 14 May 2024, no longer available online. Also see Kathimerini, Refugees without the possibility to communicate, 17 May 2024, available in Greek here. MoMA, Anouncement, 17 May 2024, available in Greek here. Fenix, Open Letter: Put an end to the disruption of interpretation services still undermining asylum seekers’ rights in Greece, 01 November 2024, available here. Article 82(13) Asylum Code. Article 82(15) Asylum Code. 85