VZCZCXRO8742
RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHIK RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN
RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG
DE RUEHTH #0366/01 0671520
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 071520Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY ATHENS
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1424
INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE
RUEHAST/USO ALMATY 0017
RUEHAE/AMEMBASSY ASMARA 0084
RUEHEK/AMEMBASSY BISHKEK 0082
RUEHCH/AMEMBASSY CHISINAU 0245
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0636
RUEHOS/AMCONSUL LAGOS 0265
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0284
RUEHTL/AMEMBASSY TALLINN 0086
RUEHNT/AMEMBASSY TASHKENT 0139
RUEHYE/AMEMBASSY YEREVAN 0140
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF JUSTICE WASHINGTON DC
RUEHC/DEPT OF LABOR WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 07 ATHENS 000366 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR EUR/SE, EUR/PGI, G/TIP, INL/HSTC, G, DRL, PRM, IWI 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KCRM PHUM KWMN SMIG KFRD PREL PREF ELAB GR
SUBJECT: GREECE TIP REPORT SUBMISSION 2008 - PART 4 
 
REF: State 2731 
 
ATHENS 00000366  001.2 OF 007 
 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified -- Protect Accordingly. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Below are Embassy Athens' responses to the 2008 TIP report 
questionnaire.  Text is keyed to Ref A request for "Protection and 
Assistance to Victims" Section.  This is the fourth of four cables. 
 
¶3.  PROTECTION AND ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS: 
    ------------------------------------- 
-- A. Does the government assist foreign trafficking victims, for 
example, by providing temporary to permanent residency status, or 
other relief from deportation?  If so, please explain. 
 
The governmnt has a comprehensive scheme or providing protection 
and assistance to forign and non-foreign victims alike, including 
the provision of temporary to permanent residecy status, and/or 
other relief from deportatin.  When a victim is identified as such, 
the ictim is offered the opportunity to utilize a thirty-day 
reflection period to consider next steps.  During that time, the 
victim can be sheltered at no expense to the victim.  At the 
conclusion of the waiting period, if the victim cooperates, he or 
she is entitled to receive permanent residency status and access to 
training and assimilation-related programs. 
 
-- B. Does the country have victim care facilities which are 
accessible to trafficking victims?  Do foreign victims have the same 
access to care as domestic trafficking victims?  Does the country 
have specialized facilities dedicated to helping victims of 
trafficking?  If so, can post provide the number of victims placed 
in these care facilities during the reporting period?  What is the 
funding source of these facilities?  Please estimate the amount the 
government spent (in U.S. dollar equivalent) on these specialized 
facilities dedicated to helping trafficking victims during the 
reporting period.  Does the government provide trafficking victims 
with access to legal, medical and psychological services?  If so, 
please specify the kind of assistance provided, and the number of 
victims assisted, if available. 
 
Greece's 2002 anti-trafficking law and 2003 Presidential 
Decree call for comprehensive health services for victims, shelter, 
protection, and temporary relief from deportation at the 
prosecutor's request.  The 2005 Immigration Law provides for 
centraly issued residence permits with no fee and a one-month 
reflection period for victims.  The GoG reported that of the 100 
victims identified in 2007, 35 accepted support and protection by 
the state. 29 were provided shelter and other victim care from state 
and/or NGO shelters, 15 were assisted in cooperation with IOM, and 
17 received full victim's status by recognition of the TIP 
Prosecutor.  Other victims contacted their embassies independent of 
GoG assistance and so are not included in these statistics.  During 
2007 the government granted or renewed 63 residence permits for TIP 
victims. The government improved the residence permits issuance 
procedure for recognized victims.  As a consequence permits to 
victims recognized by a Prosecutor's order are issued routinely. 
 
Through the MFA, information from all NGO-run shelters was provided 
for all victims hosted in 2007, including details of nationality, 
and dates of protection and services provided to victims over the 
past two years. 
 
According to information from the MPO, the majority of the 
identified 100 victims had legal documentation permitting them to 
reside in Greece, and did not request protection from the state.  As 
in 2006, the police reported that the majority of victims departed 
for their native countries without government repatriation 
assistance and a small number remain in Greece.  During 2007, IOM 
repatriated 15 victims. Of the 15 repatriated victims, 5 were 
Bulgarians, 9 Romanian, 1 Russian. 
 
-- C. Does the government provide funding or other forms of support 
to foreign or domestic NGOs and/or international organizations for 
services to trafficking victims?  Please explain and provide any 
funding amounts in U.S. dollar equivalent.  If assistance provided 
is in-kind, please specify exact assistance.  Please explain if 
funding for assistance comes from a federal budget or from regional 
 
ATHENS 00000366  002.2 OF 007 
 
 
or local governments. 
 
In 2007 the GoG authorized approximately 2,803,650.00 USD (1,869,100 
euros), including shelters, legal assistance, conferences, 
trainings, and prevention in source countries.  This is a slight 
increase from the 1.5 million euros spent in the previous year and 
comes from the government's central (federal) budget. 
 
According to the MFA, this amount breaks down as follows:  (please 
protect) 194,100.00 euros were spent on projects implemented by 
NGOs; 1,515,000.00 euros were sent directly to embassies or 
international organizations (such as IOM) that are implementing 
projects; and 160,000.00 euros were spent on projects implemented in 
cooperation with competent ministries (such as the ILAEIRA 
project). 
 
In 2007, the GoG continued cooperating with USAID in Albania through 
the TACT program.  The GoG is allocating approximately 600,000 USD 
between 2006 and 2009.  The Secretariat for Gender Equality and 
Hellenic Aid also support NGOs that carry out prevention work in 
source countries. 
 
The Greek Orthodox Church and its NGO Solidari 
against trafficking @shes throughout 
GreeQ 
it receive`.  The shelter has gooatriated. 
 
In addition to the above programs, Hellenic Aid (YDAS) reported that 
in 2007 it approved funding to the following TIP projects to NGOs 
for the benefit of victims in source countries and to prevent TIP 
and provide support to victims in Greece.  These programs are GoG 
anti-TIP initiatives and are not related to the "benchmarks." 
(Note: Please protect.  Funding levels for specific NGOs and 
agencies are not published or publicly released.  End Note.) 
 
-- 36,000 euros to the Mediterranean Women Study Center to continue 
a project in Albania for victims of trafficking; 
 
-- 60,000 euros to Caritas of Athens to continue operating a day 
care center for refugees, immigrants and victims of trafficking; 
 
-- 110,000 euros to the Greek Council of Refugees to provide legal 
assistance to trafficking victims seeking asylum; 
 
-- 100,000 euros to the Center of Research and Action for Peace 
(KEDE) for a project for empowering socially excluded women so that 
they do not become victims of trafficking; 
 
-- 260,000 euros to Klimaka to provide support and assistance to TIP 
victims in their shelter; 
 
-- 116,000 euros to the Center for Defense of Human Rights (KEPAD) 
to extend the network of NGO cooperation in Southeastern Europe; 
 
-- 60,000 euros to the European Constitution Law Center to provide 
legal assistance to trafficking victims from central and eastern 
Europe; 
 
-- 74,000 euros to the International Police Association for 
prevention projects in Serbia; 
 
-- 120,000 euros to Center of Abuse and Maltreatment in Ioannina 
(north-central Greece) for the operation of a shelter in Ioannina 
and for integration assistance to victims; 
 
-- 75,000 euros to the European Women's Network for the operation of 
a TIP hotline; 
 
Hellenic Aid also granted funds to UNICEF-Greece to produce a book 
on projects available to combat trafficking in children as part of 
UNICEF-Greece awareness campaign on child trafficking.  Hellenic Aid 
also financed projects in Tirana, the Ukraine, and Africa aiming at 
 
ATHENS 00000366  003.2 OF 007 
 
 
raising awareness in source countries on trafficking.  YDAS provided 
funds to IOM for voluntary repatriation of victims of trafficking. 
As with all Hellenic Aid projects on any issue, a percentage of the 
funding is provided up front, and the remainder is granted upon the 
receipt of acceptable interim and final project assessments. 
 
-- D. Do the government's law enforcement, immigration, and social 
services personnel have a formal system of proactively identifying 
victims of trafficking among high- risk persons with whom they come 
in contact (e.g., foreign persons arrested for prostitution or 
immigration violations)?   What is the number of victims identified 
during the reporting period?  Has the government developed and 
implemented a referral process to transfer victims detained, 
arrested or placed in protective custody by law enforcement 
authorities to institutions that provide short- or long-term care? 
How many victims were referred for assistance by law enforcement 
authorities during the reporting period? 
 
There are extensive and repeated trainings for police officers and 
others who come into contact with potential victims to identify them 
as such.  This includes police, judges, prosecutors, doctors and 
labor inspectors.  There is a screening process in place which 
effectively transfers persons identified by law enforcement 
authorities as victims of trafficking into protective state and/or 
NGO custody.  The Memorandum of Cooperation now formally allows 
police to cooperate with NGOs, which has resulted in transferring 
victims from the police to NGO shelters.  Some NGOs however, report 
that problem still remains, and that many victims slip through the 
official police screening procedure and get sent to detention 
centers for deportation. Other NGOs, including Medical Intervention, 
Klimaka, and Nea Zoi which have hands-n experience with detention 
centers and in street work, report that there are improvements in 
victim screening and victim protection procedures but still not 
enough victims are being identified.  One NGO director commented 
that the shelters are all virtually empty.  Police officers respond 
that victims are requesting repatriation more frequently than 
assistance. 
 
In 2007, 100 victims were identified and 35 of these were referred 
for assistance by the govenment.  The remainder were repatriated. 
 
Withthe entry into force on January 1, 2006 of the mmigration Law, 
which provides for the reflecion period, police now have more 
flexibility t send victims to protective custody.  Police report 
using the government hotline to coordiate with NGOs on victim care. 
 In practice, the referral process operates most effectively when 
law enforcement officials are the first contact point for the 
victim.  When NGOs are the first contact point, NGOs report that 
victims are not always entered into the protection system, possibly 
because there are not   necessarily criminal charges associated with 
the case or because the NGO cannot convince the victim to seek 
protected status from the prosecutor or even because the is 
insufficient evidence for the victim to prove that she or he is in 
fact a trafficking victim and a negative conclusion by the 
prosecutor could leave the individual facing deportation charges 
with none of the protections afforded to recognized victims. 
 
-- E. For countries with legalized prostitution:  does the 
government have a mechanism for screening for trafficking victims 
among persons involved in the legal/regulated commercial sex trade? 
 
-- There is a specialized unit of the Hellenic Police (the 
Prostitution and Gambling Division) that oversees all brothels. 
These officers are trained to identify TIP victims. 
 
-- F. Are the rights of victims respected?  Are trafficking victims 
detained or jailed?   If detained or jailed, for how long?  Are 
victims fined?  Are victims prosecuted for violations of other laws, 
such as those governing immigration or prostitution? 
 
In the past, victims who were arrested for immigration violations or 
prostitution were sometimes tried alongside their traffickers. 
There were no reports of such practices in 2007.  Victims who had to 
stand trial, had support and legal counseling from NGOs, police 
protection, and prosecutors granted reprieve of crimes committed by 
victims during their victimization (mostly illegal prostitution 
 
ATHENS 00000366  004.2 OF 007 
 
 
and/or visas violations).  The GoG reports that the Council of 
Europe Convention Against Trafficking in Human Beings which it 
signed on November 17, 2005 stipulates that victims not be tried for 
crimes committed during the course of their victimization, so once 
the Convention is ratified this "loophole," which is avoided in 
practice, will be closed. 
 
-- G. Does the government encourage victims to assist in the 
investigation and prosecution of trafficking?  How many victims 
assisted in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers during 
the reporting period?  May victims file civil suits or seek legal 
action against traffickers?  Does anyone impede victim access to 
such legal redress?  If a victim is a material witness in a court 
case against a former employer, is the victim permitted to obtain 
other employment or to leave the country pending trial proceedings? 
Are there means by which a victim may obtain restitution? 
 
The government's record on encouraging TIP victims to testify is 
still mixed.  As in the U.S., the process of granting victim status 
and receiving a victim's work/residency permit is put into motion 
when victims agree to cooperate with authorities in the prosecution 
of their traffickers.  Now that victims are being granted 
residency/work permits (MOI reports 63 permits in 2007) and with 
other victims already legally resident in Greece, more victims may 
remain in the country to testify when their traffickers come to 
trial.  Thirty five victims assisted the government in the 
prosecution of their traffickers in 2007.  There is strong NGO 
support for some victims during court cases, and all NGO 
representatives who have been present at trials state that without 
such support, many victims would be emotionally unable to testify. 
Prosecutors have told us informally that it would be illegal under 
Greek law to provide the proceeds of criminal enterprises to TIP 
victims. 
Traffickers have been released pending trial in order for the courts 
to "track down" witnesses in their home countries. 
 
-- H. What kind of protection is the government able to provide for 
victims and witnesses?  Does it provide these protections in 
practice?  What type of shelter or services does the government 
provide?  Are these services provided directly by the government or 
are they provided by NGOs or IOs funded by host government grants? 
Does the government provide shelter or housing benefits to victims 
or other resources to aid the victims in rebuilding their lives? 
Where are child victims placed (e.g., in shelters, foster care, or 
juvenile justice detention centers)?  What is the number of victims 
assisted by government-funded assistance programs during the 
reporting period?  What is the number of victims assisted by non 
government-funded assistance programs?  What is the number of 
victims that received shelter services during the reporting period? 
 
The law on Organized Crime (2928/2001) provides for witness 
protection, ately government funded.  35 victims received shelter 
assistance in 2007. 
 
If a victim is a witness to a crime that is not organized crime, the 
MPO reports that the police will protect the victim with an order of 
the prosecutor.  In practice, NGOs report that some identified and 
sheltered victims receive threats from their traffickers and need 
better protection.  NGOs who run shelters did not complain of 
inadequate security or police protection provided to the shelter in 
¶2007.  NGOs, especially those who do street work, victim support 
and/or attend trials, report that they had received threats from 
traffickers, but they have not reported any actual incidence of 
violence against them. 
 
Child victims are officially turned over to the prosecutor for 
children, but there are no specialized shelters for child TIP 
victims so they are typically sheltered in orphanages, in a separate 
section of an adult detention center or other state institutions. 
The bilateral agreement with Albania signed in February 2006 but not 
yet ratified by the Parliament details comprehensive child 
protections.  MFA officials asserted in 2007 and 2008 that despite 
not yet being ratified, they are following the terms of the protocol 
in any instances of child repatriation.  In at least two adult 
 
ATHENS 00000366  005.2 OF 007 
 
 
detention center where children were kept, NGOs found children held 
in cells, just as adults were. 
 
-- I. Does the government provide any specialized training for 
government officials in identifying trafficking victims and in the 
provision of assistance to trafficked victims, including the special 
needs of trafficked children?  Does the government provide training 
on protections and assistance to its embassies and consulates in 
foreign countries that are destination or transit countries?  Does 
it urge those embassies and consulates to develop ongoing 
relationships with NGOs and IOs that serve trafficked victims?  What 
is the number of trafficking victims assisted by the host country's 
embassies or consulates abroad during the reporting period?  Please 
explain the level of assistance.  For example, did the host 
government provide travel documents for the victim to repatriate, 
did the host government contact NGOs in either the source or 
destination countries to ensure the victim received adequate 
assistance, did the host government pay for the transportation home 
for a victim's repatriation, etc. 
 
The GOG provides anti-TIP training for police at all levels, 
including retraining and career-long training of police personnel. 
Child anti-trafficking NGOs have presented information to police on 
the special needs of child trafficking victims independently and at 
the seminars noted above.  The MPO has issued directives to all 
police stations reinforcing how to recognize, question, and assist 
victims of TIP.  The MFA charges its embassies and consulates with 
some monitoring of source country NGOs that are partners with 
Hellenic Aid-funded NGOs and therefore funding from the GoG. 
 
Repatriation is usually achieved through cooperation with IOM and 
the International Social Service (ISS).  The GoG does provide all 
necessary assistance for the safe repatriation of victims.  IOM and 
ISS have strong networks in each country to ensure that victims are 
safely and appropriately repatriated. 
 
-- J. Does the government provide assistance, such as medical aid, 
shelter, or financial help, to its repatriated nationals who are 
victims of trafficking? 
 
Not applicable - Greece is not a source country for TIP victims. 
 
-- K. Which international organizations or NGOs, if any, work with 
trafficking victims?  What type of services do they provide?  What 
sort of cooperation do they receive from local authorities?  How 
much funding (in U.S. Dollar Equivalent) did NGOs and international 
organizations receive from the host government for victim assistance 
during the reporting period?  Please disaggregate funding for 
prevention and public awareness efforts from victim assistance 
funding.  NOTE:  If post reports that a government is incapable of 
providing direct assistance to TIP victims, please assess whether 
the government ensures that TIP victims receive access to adequate 
care from other entities.  Funding, personnel, and training 
constraints should be noted, if applicable.  Conversely, the lack of 
political will in a situation where a country has adequate financial 
and other resources to address the problem should be noted as well. 
 
--International Organization for Migration (IOM): coordination with 
the GoG on repatriation of victims; conducts seminars and trainings 
for authorities, NGOs, social workers, police prosecutors, and the 
diplomatic corps; creates public awareness programs; coordinates 
diplomatic/NGO/GoG "Working Group."  IOM has excellent cooperation 
with local authorities and receives GoG funding.  It signed the MOC 
with the Interministerial Council. 
 
--European Network of Women (ENOW): multilingual victims' hotline, 
operation of a shelter including provision of food and clothing, 
psychosocial victim support, legal support and advocacy, family 
contact public awareness, lobbying.  ENOW has good cooperation with 
local authorities and receives GoG funding.  It signed the MOC with 
the Interministerial Council. 
 
--Greek Council for Refugees (GCR): legal support and advocacy, 
family contact, seminars and trainings.  GCR has good cooperation 
with local authorities, receives GoG funding, and signed the MOC 
with the Interministerial Council. 
 
ATHENS 00000366  006.2 OF 007 
 
 
 
--International Society for the Support of Families (DESO): 
operation of three shelters including provision of food and 
clothing, medical and psychological and psychiatric support, 
lobbying.  DESO has some cooperation with local authorities, 
received GoG funding and in-kind donation of the shelter buildings. 
DESO signed the MOC with the Interministerial Council. 
 
--Center for the Rehabilitation of Victims of Torture (CRTV): 
shelter, psychosocial and psychiatric support, legal support, 
lobbying.  CRTV has good, ad hoc cooperation especially with local 
police authorities, receives victim referrals directly from police, 
and is authorized GoG funding. 
 
--Nea Zoi/Association for the Support and Restoration of 
Individuals in Prostitution: street work, brothel visits, victim 
identification through street work and visits to detention centers, 
victim support, lobbying.  Nea Zoi signed the MOC with the 
Interministerial Council in 2007. Nea Zoi attends "Working Group" 
meetings. 
 
--Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM): advocacy, publications, lobbying. 
Poor relationship with GoG, outspoken critic of GoG efforts on TIP 
and other human rights issues. 
 
--Association for the Social Support of Youth (ARSIS): victim 
identification, coordination with Terre des Hommes in Albania under 
the MFA funded TACT project on child victims, public awareness, 
lobbying, based in Thessaloniki.  ARSIS has good cooperation with 
authorities and has done outreach to provincial police.  ARSIS 
receives GoG funding and implements TACT project in Albania. ARSIS 
signed the MOC with the Interministerial Council. 
 
--Smile of the Child: shelters for primarily Greek children but also 
non-Greek child victims of trafficking, public awareness, lobbying. 
Excellent cooperation with authorities, signed the MOC with the 
Interministerial Council. 
 
--Center for Research and Support for Victims of Maltreatment and 
Social Exclusion (CVME or "EKYTHKA" in Greek): shelter, psychosocial 
and legal support to victims, lobbying.  Good cooperation with 
authorities, receives GoG funding, signed the MOC with the 
Interministerial Council. 
 
--Klimaka-Agency for the Development of Human and Social 
Capital: shelters, psychiatric and social support to victims, 
vocational training and activities in shelters, public awareness, 
lobbying.  Excellent cooperation with authorities; receives victim 
referrals directly from police, receives GoG funding, signed the MOC 
with the Interministerial Council. 
 
--Solidarity (NGO of the Greek Orthodox Church): shelter, excellent 
cooperation with authorities, signed the MOC with the 
Interministerial Council. 
 
--ACT UP: STD and HIV screening, street work, victim identification, 
support, and referral, lobbying.  Good cooperation with GoG despite 
criticism of GoG, receives GoG funding. 
 
--Mediterranean Women's Studies Center (KEGME): seminars and 
training for police personnel in Albania.  Receives GoG funding, and 
provides good cooperation with GoG. 
 
--European Constitution Law Center: training of justices in Albania 
with MFA funds 
 
--Human Rights Defense Center (KEPAD): coordination of 
Ariadne Regional Network, Greece/TIP working group at the UN. 
Excellent cooperation with GoG, receives GoG funding, signed MOC 
with Interministerial Council. 
 
--The International Police Association (IPA): training seminars for 
Serbian police on TIP. Excellent cooperation with authorities, (IPA 
members are Hellenic National Police), receives GoG funding, signed 
MOC with Interministerial Council. 
 
 
ATHENS 00000366  007.2 OF 007 
 
 
--Agapi: Ten year old Thessaloniki-based social organization that 
conducted two conferences on trafficking in Thessaloniki in 2005 and 
2006 and one in Athens in 2006. 
 
--STOP NOW: Formerly focused on public awareness-raising. 
Members attend TIP-related meetings, such as the "Working Group." 
The NGO received funding in 2007 for empowering seminars in victim 
source countries.  Signed MOC with Interministerial Council. 
 
--Caritas Greece (NGO of the Catholic Church): Primarily works with 
refugees, feeding program, legal support. Caritas conducted a TIP 
public awareness poster campaign in 2006 but did not continue the 
awareness campaign in 2007. 
 
See also answer to Question C supra. 
 
TIP CONTACT 
----------- 
(U)  The Embassy's point of contact on TIP is political officer 
Patrick Connell.  Email: ConnellPD@state.gov, Tel: 
30-210-720-2551, Fax: 30-210-729-4307. 
 
SPECKHARD