THE DUBLIN II TRAP TRANSFERS OF ASYLUM-SEEKERS TO GREECE 23 An Afghan asylum-seeker transferred from Belgium under the Dublin Regulation in October 2009 told Amnesty International representatives that, when he arrived at the airport, he received a notice to present himself at the Attica Police Headquarters on a given Saturday morning. There were so many people waiting when he arrived there that the police told him to come back the following Wednesday. After waiting for three hours, his fingerprints were taken and he was given a pink card. There was a translator present, who simply wrote his name on the card. He was given a notice (in Farsi) to report at the office in February 2010 for an asylum interview. Of all the people interviewed by Amnesty International, this was the only case of someone being given a notice in a language they could understand.80 Amnesty International’s findings on the lack of sufficient and appropriate interpreters have been echoed by other organizations. The Greek Ombudsman reported in October 2009 on the “insufficient interpretation services” during the asylum application procedure.81 Based on its observations of asylum interviews, UNHCR reported in December 2009 that interpreters were often unable to provide quality translations.82 Amnesty International is concerned that there is still a severe lack of sufficient and appropriate interpretation services available in the Greek asylum system. This raises concerns about whether Dublin returnees receive information, in a language they understand, about their right to seek asylum, the reasons for and length of their detention, and the asylum application procedure. Moreover, it raises serious concerns that asylum applicants are unable to explain fully and thoroughly the reasons why they are applying for asylum in Greece. This creates risks that incorrect decisions are made and refugees are not identified, in breach of Greece’s obligations. 4.6. ADMINISTRATIVE BARRIERS TO ACCESSING THE ASYLUM SYSTEM DUE TO HOMELESSNESS “Is this why Greece asked me to come back? In order to let me [live] on the streets with nothing? This is the second time I have been returned to Greece under Dublin II and I’m homeless again. I know how things are here and I don’t want to stay. They don’t give me a pink card because I don’t have a rental contract.” N., Iraqi asylum-seeker, transferred under the Dublin Regulation Until July 2009, the majority of asylum-seekers returned to Greece under Dublin II were given a pink card by the airport police. This card did not state their address; instead, asylumseekers had to go to the Asylum Department of the Attica Police Headquarters to report their address. However, a significant number of the asylum-seekers interviewed by Amnesty International reported that the airport police did not inform them of this obligation. It is very common for asylum-seekers transferred under the Dublin Regulation to be homeless. Greek legislation makes it difficult to find employment, and due to the small number of available places in reception centres, many asylum-seekers are destitute. The legislation allows a pink card holder (registered asylum-seeker) to be issued a work permit. However, there are many bureaucratic obstacles to this, including the procedure for obtaining a tax identification number which requires the asylum-seeker to provide proof of a permanent address. Index: EUR 25/001/2010 Amnesty International March 2010