It is noted that regional asylum services continue to receive asylum applications, while asylum interviews are conducted but no decisions are being issued. It is estimated that there are currently around 6,050 pending asylum applications from Syrian nationals. The average processing time for Syrian nationals in Greece before the suspension of the examination was approximately 2.5 months. [...] On the basis of the above, it is recommended that a standstill be maintained at this stage until the highly volatile situation in Syria is stabilised, and that guidelines be issued by international organisations such as the EUAA and UNHCR whenever possible, in order to resume the examination of asylum applications of Syrian nationals on an individual basis. Also, although the fast-track border procedure was initially introduced as an exceptional and temporary procedure, it has become the rule for the applicants residing in Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Leros, and Kos. Safe country of origin Legislation also provides for the application of the Safe Country of Origin concept to consider applications manifestly ill-founded unless specifically proven otherwise by the person of concern. Article 92 of the Asylum Code (replacing by codification Article 87 of Law 4636/2019, according to Articles 36 - 37 of 2013/32/ΕΕ Directive) authorises for the relevant Ministry to include such countries of origin in a National List of Safe Countries of Origin, by way of Joint Ministerial Decisions. Joint Ministerial Decision 78391 (ΦΕΚ Β΄’ -667/ 15.02.2022),903 of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum and external Affairs (replacing JMD 778/20.1.2021) designated as safe countries of origin, Egypt, Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Georgia, Gambia, Ghana, India, Morocco, Bangladesh, Benin, Nepal, Ukraine, Pakistan, Senegal, Togo, Tunisia. The Decision was amended in November 2022 by JMD 708368 / 25.11.2022 in order to exclude Ukraine from the list. In December 2024, JMD 305652 (ΦΕΚ Β 7117/27.12.2024) included Angola and Moldava in the list, reaching a total of 18 Safe Countries of Origin. Ukraine Differential treatment according to nationality was repeatedly reported since the initiation of temporary protection for Ukrainian Nationals in April 2022. The Greek Government seemed to openly discriminate in favour of asylum applicants of Ukrainian origin against all other nationalities, a fact repeatedly criticised by Civil Society at the time and already documented in previous AIDA reports (2022, 2023). 904 Ukrainian nationals were provided with specific facilitations and a particular asylum procedure based on their nationality simpler and less time-consuming than all other asylum applicants including immediate access to the procedure, 24-hour information through the Ministry’s hotline for Ukrainian nationals as well as special status – a temporary protection residence permit, which was provided immediately after the temporary protection application and for the duration of one year (see Temporary protection annex). 903 904 Available only in Greek at: https://bit.ly/3MUZJgG. Available here. 175