Greece
- Generally
- Statistics
Generally
There is not the role of National Rapporteur or equivalent Mechanism established in Greece. The matter concerning establishment of such a role will be a subject of study by the Special Legal Drafting Committee operating in our country, aiming to the coordination, at political level, of the works for the implementation of the provisions of the 3064/2002 Act, for recommendation of legislative or other measures against trafficking in human beings.
In Greece, regarding trafficking in human beings, a multi-dimension approach followed aiming to both prevention of trafficking in women and children for sexual exploitation with participation of all involved agencies-NGOs, Social Services, Judicial and Police authorities as well as Immigration Services, and fight against this phenomenon, via constant cooperation of the above mentioned agencies.
Even though the added values, concerning introduction of the role of national rapporteur in our country, has not been a subject of study on the part of the Special Legal Drafting Committee in our country in order to deal with this phenomenon, the following measures will be taken:
1. Committee of Secretaries General
Since 2004, as it was mentioned above, a Special Legal Drafting Committee operates, which was established on 17/4/2006 consisting of the Secretaries General of the competent Ministries (Justice- Interior- Economy and Finance- Foreign Affairs- National Education and Religions- Employment and Welfare- Health and Social Solidarity- General Secretariat of Equality) in order to deal with trafficking in human beings. (Forerunner of this committee was the Group Dealing with Trafficking in Human Beings (O.K.E.A.), a group with Multi-Ministerial and Multi-disciplinant synthesis. This group played an important role, since it undertook a series of actions such as the proposal for organization of specialized services within the Hellenic Police, issued news letters for sensitization of the Public agencies, etc.).
Since 2004, as it was mentioned above, a Special Legal Drafting Committee operates, which was established on 17/4/2006 consisting of the Secretaries General of the competent Ministries (Justice- Interior- Economy and Finance- Foreign Affairs- National Education and Religions- Employment and Welfare- Health and Social Solidarity- General Secretariat of Equality) in order to deal with trafficking in human beings. (Forerunner of this committee was the Group Dealing with Trafficking in Human Beings (O.K.E.A.), a group with Multi-Ministerial and Multi-disciplinant synthesis. This group played an important role, since it undertook a series of actions such as the proposal for organization of specialized services within the Hellenic Police, issued news letters for sensitization of the Public agencies, etc.).
Objective of the committee is the coordination, at political level, of all competent agencies for true implementation of the legal framework existing in our country (3064/02 Act) and, mainly, the contact assessment of effectiveness of the taken measures and undertaking of any improvable interventions (legislative or other actions), which will contribute to the fight against this phenomenon.
In this context, the Committee move forward, during 2006, not only to the working out of a National Action Plan but also to the signing of a memorandum of Cooperation with (12) NGO’s operating in or country for the Fight against Trafficking in Human beings and providing of assistance and protection to victims, as well as with IOM.
In addition, the above mentioned committee put in force, at national level, the Multi service Action Plan for the fight against financial exploitation of sexual life and minors, under the codic name “ILAEIRA”, whose the objective will be analyzed furthermore.
2. Actions of the Ministry of Interior - Hellenic Police Headquarters
In addition to the above mentioned committee, which deals with any actions taken at national level, the Hellenic Police Headquarters take the following measures, both at central and regional levels, namely:
- Public Order and Security Policy
The Hellenic Police Headquarters- Ministry of Interior draw up the Public Order and Security Policy, through processes of study and analysis of the criminal data, scientific handling of them and, in general, for achievement of constructive cooperation of agencies for the protection of victims. - Sensitization of the public opinion.
It contributes to the information of the public through the M.M.E., as well as the printed and periodical press - Cooperation with other competent public agencies and I.O.M. for safe repatriation of the victims.
- Cooperation with N.G.O.s.
The Services of the Hellenic Police cooperate with NGO’s via the National Social Solidarity Centre/ Ministry of Social Solidarity and the General Secretariat of Equality for providing of assistance to the victims. In addition, cooperation was developed with an NGO in Ukraine in order to be used by the Police Officers who are responsible for cases of trafficking in human beings, when the possible “victims” are of Ukraine nationality. - International cooperation, via
- Support of regional cooperation and holding, on bilateral basis, of meetings between frontier Police Directorates of our country and respective services of Bulgaria and Albania
- Exchange of information via authorized communication channels, as well as via the SECI center, Liaison officers of our country appointed in E.U. Member States and third countries, as well as based on Police Cooperation Agreements concluded by our country.
- Cooperation with foreign diplomatic authorities, for providing assistance to the victims-nationals of their countries.
- Participation of experts from the Hellenic Police in international meetings
- Participation in and holding of international operations, such as operation “LEDA” (held in 2003, during the E.U. Presidency of our country), operation “MIRAGE ’ (held by the SECI center), as well as Operational Multi-Service Action Plan “ILAEIRA”, for the fight against trafficking in women and minors, held by our country and it was co-financed by the European Commission.
This Plan, which was under the auspices of the E.U. former Vice President on matters of Justice and Internal Affairs (Mr. Franco Frattini), is one organized operational action for the fight against trafficking in women and minors aiming to the financial exploitation of the sexual life, with coordinated, essential and effective action of all involved agencies, since their individual action is not enough to deal with this transnational phenomenon. The Plan is developed at two levels, national and regional. Twenty one countries and four European- International Organizations (EUROPOL, INTERPOL, EUROJUST, FRONTEX) participated in this initiative.
The implementation of the Plan “ILAEIRA” has already produced results- based on its instructions, during 2008 and the first two months in 2009, special operational actions were held which resulted to the dislocation of networks dealing with trafficking in human beings, via international cooperation and arrest if 161 persons, while assistance was provided to 13 women- victims of trafficking.