phenomenon could not merely be managed through stricter border control and massive removal operations. Overcoming their lack of experience, the Greek authorities are trying to develop a more coherent and comprehensive migration policy, realistic and long-term targeted with regard to its actions and objectives. The Greek authorities do admit that the management of migration flows is without question one of the most complex, and at the same time most sensitive, fields of policy making. Conflicts of interests arise easily. The Ministry of Interior, Public Administration and Decentralisation (IPAD) is responsible for issues of nationality, regular migration and integration of migrants. It is the responsibility of the ministry of Public Order (PO) to exercise control over the legality of migrants, to pass and implement decisions on administrative expulsion, to examine the asylum demands and to provide the Ministry of IPAD with data on nationality issues. Two main types of centres exist in Greece: ▪ Closed centres for irregular migrants who are under administrative detention; ▪ Open centres for asylum seekers (people applying for asylum while already being in detention in a closed centre are in general not moved to the open centre, but instead remain in detention in the closed centre). Some facts and figures: ▪ Refugee recognition rate 2004 - 0.3% ▪ Refugee recognition rate 2006 - 0.6% ▪ Protection rate for 2006 (refugee status plus other forms of protection): 1.2 % ▪ Estimated backlog of unprocessed appeals: 11,000 ▪ 0 % of Iraqis in Greece obtain refugee status or subsidiary protection (This is exacerbated as a result of the practice of the Greek authorities to freeze the examination of asylum applications of Iraqis at the appeal stage rather than necessarily an actual rejection of the claims. As there are no final decisions, there can be no positive decisions.) 3. Official procedures upon arrival for asylum seekers, according to UNHCR As in all EU Member States the granting of asylum is an exclusive responsibility of the state. In Greece, the Ministry of PO (the police) is the responsible authority. The Greek UNHCR representation cooperates with the Greek authorities in monitoring the asylum legislation and its application, or is at least trying to do so. Upon arrival in Greece, the asylum seeker must appear immediately and without delay before any police authority and submit an application for asylum. When one has entered Greece illegally (also for reasons beyond control) and is arrested, one will be kept under detention for a maximum period of three months. PV\675423EN.doc 3/16 PE 392.010v02-00 EN