“Suspending asylum won’t stop the flows”

Maria Clara Martin, Head of the UNHCR Office in Greece, speaks to “To Vima” about the composition of the flows from Libya and the methods to address them.

The people coming to Crete from eastern Libya are immigrants or refugees?

These are clearly mixed movements — groups that include both refugees and migrants. Nearly one third are Sudanese fleeing a devastating war and serious human rights violations, which qualifies them as refugees and therefore entitles them to international protection. Almost half come from Egypt, the rest are from Bangladesh and Pakistan, and in smaller numbers from countries like Eritrea, Syria, Somalia and Yemen.

This diversity is the reason why it is important that those who request asylum are assessed individually.

How can the Greek society be convinced to accept these "mostly men under 30 years old" without feeling threatened by them?

It’s totally understandable that concerns exist. But it’s important not to let demographics turn into a narrative of fear. We have asked Sudanese refugees, mostly young men, why they fled. Many said they were fleeing to avoid forced recruitment. Others were fleeing atrocities. They are escaping threats, they are not a threat.

Greece has developed robust systems to assess who qualifies for refugee protection and to identify any potential security risk. These systems deserve public trust, continued investment and ongoing improvement.

Greece decided to freeze processing asylum applications from people coming by boat from Northern Africa for three months. Will this send the message that there is no point for them to undertake the dangerous and expensive journey to Europe?

It is important to acknowledge a basic truth: people will continue to move as long as there are conflicts, human rights violations, violence, insecurity and deep inequalities. Restrictive measures alone won’t stop this — they may delay movement or divert it, but they don’t address the reasons people flee in the first place.

Is the money, food and other services provided to asylum applicants by the Greek state a pull factor which draws them to the country? By curtailing them, will the flows diminish?

In UNHCR’s experience, no one risks their life at sea just to receive food or basic support. People come because they are fleeing desperate situations. Greece has made a lot of progress in ensuring that asylum processing takes only a few months. The assistance will only last for that period. As for refugees, they are entitled for assistance for one-month after they have been recognized.

What can Europe do to tackle the smugglers' networks?

Dismantling smuggling networks requires coordinated international action: intelligence-sharing, targeting their financial networks, upholding the rule of law, and improving protection for migrants and refugees inside Libya and other host countries. It is also important to show that having resort to smugglers does not work. This means providing legal pathways for migration, and returning those who are not in need of international protection.

Greece wants to stop integration programme, saying that the people who are recognised as refugees must find work and not rely on government subsidies. Will this work?

It's reasonable to expect recognized refugees to become self-reliant. And according to my experience, this is what they themselves want. But becoming self-reliant doesn't happen overnight. Refugees need support to find housing, learn the local language, and have access to job opportunities.

Source: This is a translation of an interview published in Greek at the newspaper “Sunday’s To Vima” on 20 July 2025. See in Greek here.