A Decade of Greek Immigration and Asylum Policy (2015-2024): A Balancing Act of EU Participation, Humanitarian Obligations, and Security Concerns

Greece was at the forefront of the European Union’s (EU) immigration and asylum policy implementation during the migration crisis of 2015–2016. Throughout this period, it is estimated that more than one million migrants and refugees traveled through Greece, moving toward other Western European countries. The sheer size of this transient population—and its multifaceted political and social implications for European countries—prompted the EU to attempt to curb the influx of immigrants to Greece and, by extension, to its member states. In 2023, almost a decade later, a tragic shipwreck near Pylos claiming over 600 lives, as well as ongoing discussions by several actors and organizations regarding Greece’s migrant pushbacks, has brought the country under the European spotlight once again.

Within this context, this article aims to outline key developments in Greek immigration and refugee policy over the past decade. In addition, it will provide an overview of the instrumental EU initiatives that helped Greece cope with this evolving and pressing situation. The article will discuss the establishment of the Emergency Support to Immigration and Accommodation (ESTIA) humanitarian assistance mechanism, which serves to better address the immediate and long-term needs of asylum seekers in the country. Furthermore, it will present the main initiatives undertaken by the EU within the scope of its 2015 Agenda on Migration. Apart from the resettlement and relocation programs, the main emphasis will be placed on the implementation of the EU’s “hotspot approach” and its effects on both Greece and the aforementioned population of refugees and asylum seekers.

The third aspect that this article explores is Turkey’s weaponization of migrants and refugees in Greece’s Evros region during the spring of 2020. The article will specifically discuss the support granted by the EU to Greece through both symbolic gestures and tangible measures. In addition, it will cover the changing EU discourse regarding the role of Greece as a protector of EU borders. The article will conclude by briefly addressing future challenges directly linked to migration management on the outskirts of the EU: refugee integration in the host society, the balancing of security concerns with humanitarian obligations, and the evolving political landscape regarding migration management within the EU.