Table 7. Annual apprehensions of irregular migrants at Greek-Turkish land and sea borders
Year
Land Border Sea Borders
TOTAL
2008
14,461
30,149
44,610
2009
8,787
27,685
36,472
2010
47,088
6,204
53,292
2011
54,974
1,114
56,088
2012
30,433
3,651
34,043
2013
1,122
11,447
12,233
2014 (Aug.) 1,133
22,089
23,222
Between 2010 and 2012, around EUR 41 million were allocated by the External Borders fund to
fence the Greek-Turkish land border i.e. 36% of the available annual 2010-2012 EBF grant.67 If
we include in our calculations the cost of the Evros fence and the Frontex operational
contribution (Rabbit, Poseidon Land 2010-2012), then between 2010 and 2012 the overall funds
set aside for the Greek-Turkish land border, appear to have been around EUR 67 million.68 These
were invested in a land strip of 206 km, with the understanding that this was a passage of
strategic significance.
A2. Assessing the cost-effectiveness
If we assess the effectiveness of these measures in terms of absolute numbers, then this was
indeed an effective policy since it drastically reduced the number of irregular arrivals through
the specific landstrip. The available data show that this decrease continued in the course of
2014, indicating that the policy has been successful thus far.
However, if we assess the effectiveness of this policy in relative numbers, then it appears less
successful, since the reduction through the land-border was accompanied with a parallel steady
rise in entries through the sea border. The figures of 2014, for example, suggest that the entries
have so far doubled in comparison to 2013.
It might be useful at this point, to look at the overall number of irregular arrivals that show that
entry through land or sea border has been shifting in the overall, even in the absence of a
67
Calculation based on the Annual Programs submitted by the Ministry of Citizen protection to the External
Borders Fund, available at
http://www.astynomia.gr/index.php?option=ozo_content&perform=view&id=2231&Itemid=440
68
Calculation based on: (a) Operational Cost of Poseidon Land 2010, 2011, 2012; (b)Annual Programs 2010,
2011, 2012 EBF (EU funding and National Resources); (c)Construction of Evros Fence (d) Rabit Operation.
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