❖ No longer than 30 days, where the application is examined “under absolute priority” or “under priority”, under the accelerated procedure, under Art. 84 (inadmissible) or under the border procedure.194 In 2022, the Asylum Service registered 37,362 applications for international protection, mainly lodged by Afghans (5.624) and Syrians (5.050). 195 Role of EUAA (previously EASO) in registration 196 EUAA (previously EASO) deploys Registration Assistants to support the Greek Asylum Service in charge of registration across the territory. Registration Assistants are almost exclusively locally recruited interim staff, not least given that, in countries such as Greece, citizenship is required for access to the database managed by the police (Αλκυόνη) which is used by the Asylum Service. In 2022, the number of registrations carried out by the EUAA in Greece increased to 18,162 registrations for international protection. Of these, 83% related to the top 10 citizenships of applicants and in particular Afghans (3,547), Palestinians (2,290), Somalis (1,914), Iraqis (1,507), Bangladeshis (1,458), and Syrians (1,439).197 In 2022, the EUAA carried out 14,986 registrations for temporary protection in Greece. 198 3.2 Access to the procedure on the mainland Access to the asylum procedure remained a structural and endemic problem in Greece for many years. Difficulties with regard to access to the asylum procedure have been observed since the very start of the operation of the Asylum Service in 2013, in particular due to Asylum Service staff shortages and the nonoperation of all RAO provided by law. A previous system for granting appointments for registration of asylum applications existed since 2014 through Skype, but proved to be ineffective in allowing access of persons applying for asylum to the procedure. Deficiencies in the Skype appointment system stemmed from limited capacity and availability of interpretation, and barriers to applicants’ access to the internet. Consequently, prospective asylum seekers frequently had to try multiple times (often over a period of several months) before they managed to get through to the Skype line to obtain an appointment for the full registration of their application, while facing the danger of a potential arrest and detention by the police. They were deprived of the assistance provided to asylum seekers, including reception conditions and in particular, access to housing. On 13 July 2022, the Ministry of Migration and Asylum published a new online platform for the electronic pre-registration of asylum seekers in Greece. The procedure applies for all third country nationals arriving in Greece and wishing to claim asylum, as well as for those already residing in Greece and who have not been through reception and identification procedures. The platform is available in nine languages (Albanian, Arabic, Bengal, Dari, English, Farsi, Pashto, Turkish and Urdu), and after applicants have provided their personal information, they are asked to choose one of two registration facilities: in Diavata (Thessaloniki) or Malakasa (Attica). Once the electronic form is completed, a registration appointment will be assigned to the applicant and communicated via email. The first appointments took place on 1 September 2022, and it is understood that the facilities reached full capacity on the same day. 199 Until the end of December 2022, 14,942 registration appointments were delivered through the platform (7,516 in Malakassa and 7,426 in Diavata).200 194 195 196 197 198 199 200 Article 75 (4) of Asylum Code. Information published by the Asylum Service 31 December 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/41W5ZsN. It should be noted that Regulation 2021/2023 entered into force on 19 January 2022, transforming EASO into the EU Agency for Asylum (EUAA). Information provided by the EUAA, 28 February 2023. Information provided by the EUAA, 28 February 2023. Statement published by Mobile Info Team, New asylum seeker registration procedure begins today and is already at capacity: People will be forced to remain undocumented for 14 months as they wait for an appointment in Diavata or Malakasa, 1 September 2022, available at Statement on New Registration Procedure — Mobile Info Team. Reply of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum of 16 March 2023 following a relevant question (hereinafter Reply of the Ministry to the Greek Parliament). 53