8 2. Evros in the context of Greek and European Migration Policy (2010-2011) Commissioner Cecilia Malmström, who described the RABIT operation as »a concrete demonstration of European Solidarity«.18 Almost at the same time, massive sweep operations took place in Patras, Igoumenitsa and Athens, followed by a growing public discourse about the ghettoisation of Athens inner city, based on the presence of high numbers of migrants, interconnected – according to the media and the government – with criminality, which lead to an escalation of racist violence in Athens.19 In this heated atmosphere the Citizens Protection Minister Mr. Papoutsis reconfirmed the plans for the construction of the »wall of shame«20 in Evros and the creation of new screening centers in the region21, while the Hellenic Army General Staff began digging a moat in July 2011, officially characterized as an »anti-tank trap«, which will also serve as an additional technical barrier for those trying to enter Greece.22 In its final form, the moat is planned to be 120km long, 30mt wide and 7mt deep. On September 7, Mr Papoutsis gave details of the new National Border Management Program and the government’s plans to tackle »the problem of illegal migration« concluded in cooperation with the European Committee. The plan is scheduled for implementation in the near future with an estimated budget of 275 million euro.23 There are many actors involved in the procedures of border patrols and screening, so ambiguity over the respective roles and responsibilities creates a gap in accountability and potentially permits impunity. 2.3 Evros today During our research no substantial changes for the protection of people in need and the improvement of the detention conditions have taken place in the Evros region. On the contrary both the systematic detention itself and the bad detention conditions lacking all legal safeguards are used as measures to deter migrants from entering Greece and from requesting international protection upon arrival. It is a revealing example of the effectiveness of the deterrence measures how low the asylum application rates remained in the Evros region during the first half of 2011. There have been only 158 asylum applications lodged in Alexandroupoli and 66 in Orestiada, an equivalent of 4,13 % of all asylum applications lodged in Greece, according to police data. These official statistics show how difficult it is to lodge an application while being in detention. There is obviously no access guaranteed to the asylum procedure to those detained in the region. It shows that detainees have no motivation to seek international protection under these inhuman and degrading conditions, although they risk being deported or readmitted. The European Parliament on September 13, agreed to extend the powers of Frontex, Europe´s border agency. The agency will also be able to sign agreements with non-EU countries on repatriation of irregular migrants and provide them with technical assistance.24 It is also clear to us, that most of the announcements made by the government about improvements of the detention conditions, the safeguarding of legal guarantees and the asylum procedure still have not been put into practice. Furthermore, as far as it concerns Greece and specifically the Evros region, the role of Frontex remains dubious. In October 2010 the Ministry of Citizens Protection presented the main findings on the first period of implementation 18 http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_ 1_02/03/2011_381071 19 http://infomobile.w2eu.net/2011/05/10/murderinstrumentalised-by-fascist-groups-for-new-pogrom-againstmigrants-in-athens-centre/ 20 The fence, which will be 10,3 km long, is a copy of the »ideal« Mellila/Ceuta border fence constructed in order to crack down on border crossing from Morocco to Europe through Spain. This prototype has already caused hundreds of deaths. On the 4th of August, the ministry started a consultation on Evros fence, which was concluded on the 20th of August, concerning the technical aspects of the 5.5 million euro project. 21 In Karoti village, in Didimoticho: http://www.aftodioikisi.gr/ ipourgeia/ipoirgeio_prostasias_politi/11692 22 http://www.defencegreece.com/index.php/2011/07/this-isthe-ditch-that-the-greek-army-digged-in-evros/ 23 The funding is provided as follows: 55 million from national funds, 200 million by the External Borders Fund and 20 million coming from Norway, Switzerland, Island and Lichtenstein.The program includes: The construction of a 10,3km long border fence in Evros prefecture and along the Greek-Turkish border; The installation of an intelligent border surveillance system and the supply of border surveillance helicopters, jeeps, dogs, infrared, X-Ray and thermo cameras, radar-systems and a Schengen Information System of the second generation. With regards to the future co-operation with Frontex in Evros the Minister announced: The assignment of 453 officers from different European countries, two airplanes, one helicopter, 58 vans with thermo cameras, three heartbeat detectors, one radar system, 19 police dogs, one bus, 32 patrol vehicles and 13 computers. 24 http://euobserver.com/22/113603