2021, pursuant to Article 86 of L. 4636/2019, provides Türkiye as a safe country for applicants from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Somalia. 223 As a result, applications lodged by these categories of persons are now firstly channelled into the admissibility procedure to assess whether Türkiye is a safe third country and whether their cases are admissible and should be examined on the merits (for more details, see also Safe Third Country). 1.3. Personal interview Indicators: Regular Procedure: Personal Interview 1. Is a personal interview of the asylum seeker in most cases conducted in practice in the regular procedure? Yes No ❖ If so, are interpreters available in practice, for interviews? Yes No 2. In the regular procedure, is the interview conducted by the authority responsible for taking the decision? Yes No 3. Are interviews conducted through video conferencing? Frequently Rarely Never 4. Can the asylum seeker request the interviewer and the interpreter to be of a specific gender? Yes No ❖ If so, is this applied in practice, for interviews? Yes No According both to the IPA and the Asylum Code, the personal interview with the applicant may be omitted where:224 (a) The Asylum Service is able to take a positive decision on the basis of available evidence; (b) It is not practically feasible, in particular when the applicant is declared by a medical professional as unfit or unable to be interviewed due to enduring circumstances beyond their control. Moreover, the law foresees that when the applicant is not in the position to continue the interview for reasons attributable to him/her “the interview is terminated”. In this case, the applicant is provided with the opportunity to submit a written memo and supplementary evidences within 5 days. 225 According to the IPA, the omission of a personal interview does not adversely affect the in merits decision on the application in which the reasons for omitting the interview should be stated. 226 Both the IPA and the Asylum Code further provide that, where the interview has been scheduled within 15 days from the lodging of the application and where the applicant is vulnerable, the authorities provide him or her with reasonable time not exceeding 3 days to prepare for the interview and obtain counselling. The possibility to request reasonable time is not granted to asylum seekers who are not vulnerable or whose interview has been scheduled more than 15 days after the submission of the application. 227 Under the regular procedure, the interview takes place at the premises of the RAO on the designated day and is conducted by one caseworker. The personal interview takes place without the presence of the applicant’s family members, unless the competent Asylum Service Officer considers their presence necessary.228 Moreover, the personal interview must take place under conditions that ensure appropriate confidentiality.229 However, GCR and other civil society organisations have expressed concerns relating to confidentiality in certain RAO or AAU due to the lack of appropriate spaces, lack of isolation and technical difficulties. For example, and as reported, this was the case in the RAO of Lesvos, in particular for the remote interviews that took place within the COVID-19 prevention measures,230 and the RAO of 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 JMD 458568/2021, Gov. Gazette Β' 5949/16-12-2021. Article 77(7) IPA and 82(7) ASYLUM CODE. Article 77(7) IPA and 82(7) ASYLUM CODE. Article 77(9) IPA and 82(9) ASYLUM CODE. Article 77(4) IPA and 82(4) ASYLUM CODE. Article 77(10) IPA and 82(10) ASYLUM CODE. Article 77(11) IPA and 82(11) ASYLUM CODE. Diotima et alt., The conduct of (remote) asylum interviews on Lesvos, 8 December 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/3fxZ9oz. 57