2. Evros in the context of Greek and European Migration Policy (2010-2011) 7 The dramatic upsurge in border crossings in the region in 2010 and the Greek state’s inability or unwillingness to deal with reception and protection conditions led to what the Greek UNHCR Office declared to be a »humanitarian crisis«. Only a few months later the Greek government called for help to all EU Member States, as »it struggles to cope with a growing tide of illegal migrants entering the country from Turkey«. The Member States reacted immediately by making available both human and technical resources to support the Greek Border Police. A total of 175 guest officers were deployed from 24 member states and Schengen-associated countries under the auspices of the first so called RABIT deployment coordinated by the European border agency Frontex14. The RABITs started their mission on November 2, 2010, further contributing to the militarization of the region. The main objective of the RABIT unit that was activated for the first time was to collaborate with the Greek border control authorities for securing the land border with Turkey through joint surveillance and border controls. Additionally, Frontex provided for interviewers to assist in the screening of apprehended migrants in order to assess their nationality and identity, as well as debriefers for gathering evidence on the involvement of smugglers’ networks and other relevant intelligence on cross-border criminal activities.15 The figures presented by Frontex for the first period since their deployment in the Evros region, were proudly portrayed as a success in decreasing arrival numbers: »Detections of illegal entry at the Greek land border with Turkey have fallen by 44% since October and we hope to see continued benefits from the ongoing efforts of the 26 member states involved. However irregular immigration cannot be effectively managed with short-term solutions«, stated Ilkka Laitinen, executive director of Frontex, justifying its presence and role to the Greek and European public. However, it must be noted, that as Greek authorities have stated in the past, arrivals in the Evros region decrease 14 RABITs: The Rapid Border Intervention Team of Frontex was established in 2007 but its deployment in Greece is also the first time it comes into action. See: http://www.frontex.europa. eu/rabit_2010/background_information/ 15 According to Human Rights Watch (2011) the screenings are conducted in detention facilities in Evros. » Human Rights Watch observed three nationality-determination screenings conducted by one Frontex interpreter and two Frontex country experts. We observed Greek police bringing detainees to the Frontex team and not remaining during the course of the interviews. The three interviews that we observed in Tychero detention facility did not include any Greek police personnel and were carried out exclusively by Frontex agents.« (Human Rights Watch 2011: The EU’s Dirty Hands. Frontex Invlolvement in Ill-treatment of Migrant Detainees in Greece. p. 41). »In the absence of a clear agreement that displaces Greek Frontex officers patrol the border and do the registration of nationalities and age anyway during winter due to difficult winter weather conditions. The militarization plans of the Greek government continued on January 3, 2011, when Citizens Protection Minister Christos Papoutsis announced that authorities plan to build a 12,5km fence along Greece’s land border with Turkey16, in an effort to curb a seemingly endless influx of migrants. This announcement was set in a period when the Greek media had already adopted a strongly anti-migratory agenda, affecting the public’s opinion negatively. During the next months, while the number of apprehended irregular migrants severely decreased in all other border areas (-90 %), Evros remained the only one with increasing numbers (22,13 %), with Alexandroupolis constituting the new main hub of irregular migration (with an increase of 237,87 %)17. In March 2011 the extension of the Frontex mission was announced as well a deployment along the GreekBulgarian border, according to the European Home Affairs authority over the patrols, primary responsibility for what happens during the patrols would normally fall on the Greek authorities because the patrols take place on Greek sovereign territory.« (ibid) See also the ECRE report on the role of Frontex 2007: http://www.google.gr/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=4&ved= 0CDYQFjAD&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ecre.org%2F component%2Fdownloads%2Fdownloads%2F61.html&rct= j&q=is%20it%20clear%20the%20legal%20status%20of% 20frontex%3F&ei=pKiaTrjdHYuChQfm7tmZBA&usg= AFQjCNGGXSwktDlkOU_wtFbBHIF46ogFrA&cad=rja 16 This is the only section of the 206 km long border that does not go along the river Evros. 17 Morou, Argiros 2011: Increase 238% in Alexandroupolis. In: Eleftherotypia July 23, 2011: p. 21.