Greece under fire for refugee policies

Greece's efforts to shed its reputation as an unsafe haven for refugees suffered a major blow with the news that Norway has suspended the return of asylum-seekers to Greece on the grounds that their rights may be violated.

Based on the European Union's Dublin II Regulation (EC 343/2003, which excludes EU member Denmark but includes Iceland and Norway), the first member state that a migrant enters is the one responsible for examining his/her asylum application. Last week, however, Norway decided it would ignore the Dublin II Regulation and examine the asylum applications of those who had initially passed through Greece.

Norway's unprecedented decision was announced on February 8 by Terje Sjeggestad, the director of the Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board (UNE), a quasi-judicial body under Norway's ministry of local government and regional development.

It is the first time that Norway has suspended returns of asylum-seekers under the Dublin II Regulation. No other country has done so in the past.

"The Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board has received information about possible breaches of asylum-seekers' rights in Greece," Sjeggestad told the Athens News. "A decision whether to prolong the suspension or to end it will be based on information supplied by Greek authorities through the Norwegian embassy in Athens."

The embassy is currently holding talks with the local branch of the United Nation's refugee agency (UNHCR) and Greek government officials.

"We are actively looking into the matter," Norwegian Ambassador Sverre Stub told the Athens News. "It is important to stress that this is a suspension. It is a temporary situation while we try to find out more of the basis of some of the reports that we have seen lately, including through [the Athens News'] coverage of the issues. The Norwegian authorities, based on these reports, decided that a suspension would be justified."

Norway's decision does not come as a big surprise to local refugee organisations.

The UNHCR has repeatedly put Greece's poor record in the spotlight and expressed serious concern. The agency routinely appeals to the government to ensure that refugees - victims of persecution and human rights violations in their homeland - have access to Greek territory and the asylum procedure.

"UNHCR recommends the generous use by all member states of the discretionary powers as regards returns to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation," Ketty Kehayioglou, spokesperson for UNHCR in Greece, told the Athens News. "And [we] encourage the states to take into account the factors that may impede access to entitlement and benefits for persons in need of international protection. As regards the decision by the Norwegian appeals board, the Norwegian authorities have indeed taken into account information of possible violations of the rights of asylum-seekers in Greece."

According to Kehayioglou, Greece is also lagging behind other EU member states in terms of legislation. Greek parliament has yet to ratify two EU directives concerning asylum procedures.

"The quality of decision-making is an area over which UNHCR has serious concerns," she said. "There are many challenges facing refugee protection in Greece. The UNHCR continues to work closely with Greek authorities to help improve the situation."

According to Spyros Kouloheris, chief legal advisor at the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), Norway's decision to stop sending asylum-seekers back to Greece should sound alarm bells for the government's management of the asylum system.

"We've had courts in other countries ruling against the return of an asylum-seeker to Greece," Kouloheris told the Athens News. "This is the first time that a country has officially st