However, Joint Ministerial Decision 458568/2021, issued in December 2021 under Article 86 IPA, designated Türkiye as a safe country for applicants from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Somalia.355 This was reinforced by Joint Ministerial Decision no. 538595/2023, issued on December 15, 2023, on the “Determination of third countries characterised as safe and establishing of a national list as defined in Article 91 of Law 4939/2022.”356 As a result, applications lodged by those falling under the provisions of the aforementioned JMDs are since firstly channelled through 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 applicant 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 making the decision? Yes No 3. Are interviews conducted through video conferencing? Frequently Rarely Never 4. Can the asylum applicant 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 to the Asylum Code, the personal interview with the applicant may be omitted where: 357 (a) The Asylum Service is able to issue 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 a position to continue the interview for reasons attributable to them, “the interview is terminated”. In this case, the applicant is provided with the opportunity to submit a written memo and supplementary evidence within five days.358 According to the Asylum Code, 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. 359 The Asylum Code further provides 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 them with reasonable time not exceeding three days to prepare for the interview and obtain counselling. The possibility to request reasonable time is not granted to asylum applicants who are not vulnerable or whose interview has been scheduled more than 15 days after the lodging of the application.360 Under the regular procedure, the interview takes place at the premises of the RAO or remotely, with applicants remaining at the Camp they reside on the designated day, and is conducted by one caseworker, who can be physically present or connect remotely. The personal interview of adult asylum applicants takes place without the presence of the applicant’s family members, unless the competent Asylum Service Officer considers their presence necessary.361 Moreover, the personal interview must take place under conditions that ensure confidentiality.362 The person conducting the interviews should be sufficiently qualified to take into account the personal or general circumstances regarding the application, including the applicant’s cultural origin. In particular, the interviewer must be trained on the special needs of women, children and victims of violence and torture.363 355 356 357 358 359 360 361 362 363 JMD 458568/2021, Gov. Gazette Β' 5949/16-12-2021. JMD 538595/2023, Gov. Gazette B’ 7063/15-12-2023. Article 82(7) Asylum Code. Article 82(7) Asylum Code. Article 82(9) Asylum Code. Article 82(4) Asylum Code. Article 82(10) Asylum Code. Article 82(11) Asylum Code. Article 82(12)(a) Asylum Code. 76