GREECE PART 2: TIP REPORT SUBMISSION 2006

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 ATHENS 000570

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

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 ELAB GR TIP
SUBJECT: GREECE PART 2: TIP REPORT SUBMISSION 2006

REF: A. STATE 3836


B. THESSALONIKI 25

C. ATHENS 538

D. ATHENS 512

E. ATHENS 431

F. ATHENS 414

G. THESSALONIKI 14

H. ATHENS 369

I. ATHENS 346

J. ATHENS 328

K. 05 ATHENS 3157

L. 05 ATHENS 3144

M. 05 ATHENS 3110

N. 05 ATHENS 2959

O. 05 ATHENS 2927

P. 05 THESSALONIKI 86

Q. 05 ATHENS 2802

R. 05 THESSALONIKI 81

S. 05 ATHENS 2779

T. 05 ATHENS 2742

U. 05 ATHENS 2113

V. 05 ATHENS 1626

W. 05 TIRANA 968

X. 05 ATHENS 1268


1. The following is Sensitive but Unclassified. Please
Protect Accordingly.


2. (SBU) Below are Embassy Athens' responses to the 2006 TIP
report questionnaire. Text is keyed to Ref A request for
"Prevention" Section. This is the second of four cables.


3. PREVENTION:
--------------
-- A. Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a
problem in that country? If no, why not?

The government, including high-ranking officials, publicly
acknowledges that trafficking is a problem in Greece.

-- B. Which government agencies are involved in anti-
trafficking efforts and which agency, if any, has the lead?

There are eight national ministries with responsibility for
anti-trafficking efforts. Nine Secretaries General (SG) from
those ministries comprise the Interministerial Committee on
TIP, of which the SG of the Ministry of Justice is the
president. The Ministry of:

--Health (MOH) has responsibility for medical care for
victims, operation of shelters, operation of a telephone
hotline, coordination of repatriation program with IOM, and
coordination of emergency services.

--Public Order (MPO) has responsibility for TIP police task
forces, conducting TIP raids, arresting traffickers,
producing police reports as the basis for prosecutions,
screening and identifying victims, and education of police.

--Justice (MOJ) has responsibility for prosecutions,
convictions, education of prosecutors and judges, assignment
of prosecutors to TIP cases, and amendment of the legislative
framework. Prosecutors have a special responsibility to
formally grant victim status.

--Foreign Affairs (MFA) coordinates the diplomatic/NGO/GoG
working group, coordinates and negotiates bilateral and
multilateral agreements, such as the Child Repatriation
Agreement with Albania, and acts as a liaison between
interested parties. The spokesman of the Interministerial
Committee on TIP is an MFA employee with the rank of
ambassador. Hellenic Aid, a part of MFA, funds NGO and IO
programs and shelters, provides legal aid to victims through
NGO funding, funds training of police, judges and
prosecutors, and is cooperating with USAID to contribute to
the Transnational Action against Child Trafficking (TACT)
program in Albania.

--Interior (MOI) (including the SG for Gender Equality) has
responsibility for amendment of the legislative framework
regarding migration policy which includes residence permits
and reflection periods, granting of residence permits,
nationwide public awareness campaign, and vocational
training, counseling, and social support for victims.

--Education and Ministry of Employment have responsibility
for education, vocational training, and job placement of
victims.

--Finance has responsibility for authorizing funding for TIP
efforts.

-- C. Are there, or have there been, government-run anti-
trafficking information or education campaigns? If so,
briefly describe the campaign(s),including their objectives
and effectiveness. Do these campaigns target potential
trafficking victims and/or the demand for trafficking (e.g.
"clients" of prostitutes or beneficiaries of forced labor)?

In 2006, the Secretariat General for Gender Equality (SGGE),
under the MOI, completed a nationwide public awareness
campaign on TIP. The campaign is a 40-second television spot
and an informational leaflet with the same visual theme. The
message of campaign was designed to reach and impact
"clients," victims, and citizens with a special focus on
educating the general public about the TIP problem. The
Secretary General of SGGE was personally involved in creating

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the television spot, which has powerful music and images,
showing the phases of a young girl's life that lead her to
become a victim of trafficking. After seeing and
understanding the tragic story of the victim, the spot
silently gives a simple message directed to all segments of
society and the TIP problem:

"THIS IS TRAFFICKING IN HUMAN BEINGS.
IT IS A CRIME.
IT IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY TO REVEAL IT."

The National Greek Television and Radio Council agreed to air
the ad for two months on three popular state television
stations starting in March 2006. After a three-month break,
the ad will be aired again. The SGGE is seeking additional
airtime from privately owned stations.

-- D. Does the government support other programs to prevent
trafficking? (e.g., to promote women's participation in
economic decision-making or efforts to keep children in
school.) Please explain.

One significant new effort to prevent trafficking is the
agreement between the GoG and USAID for the Greek MFA to
support the TACT program in Albania with $600,000 over three
years. Hellenic Aid also supports NGOs that carry out
prevention work in source countries.

(SBU) In addition to the above programs, Hellenic Aid
reported that in 2005 it granted funding to the following TIP
projects to benefit 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.)

--80,000 euros to the European Public Law Center to provide
training for law specialists in Moldova on "Enactment of TIP
Legislation" which would provide a legal framework to protect
TIP victims, especially women and children.

--83,000 euros to the Human Rights Defense Center (KEPAD) for
the "Joint Project of a Regional Network to Combat TIP in
Eastern and South Eastern Europe," including the creation of
the "Ariadne" network to coordinate cooperation between
countries of origin, transit, and destination through
involvement of anti-TIP NGOs from Albania, BiH, Bulgaria,
Croatia, Macedonia, Greece, Moldova, Romania, Serbia and
Montenegro, Turkey, and Ukraine. The first Ariadne project
is to research the TIP legal framework, implementation of TIP
law, dimensions of the TIP phenomenon, and efforts made by
the state, IOs, and NGOs for assistance to victims in each
network country. KEPAD will public the findings in a book in
English and the local languages. (Ref 05 Athens 1626)

--9,022 euros to the Human Rights Defense Center (KEPAD) for
a March 1-2 parallel event in New York in the framework of
the UN Commission on the Status of Women entitled "Regional
Cooperation for Countering Trafficking in Women and Girls" to
promote the tripartite regional cooperation (between state,
international and non-governmental agents) among countries of
origin, transit and destination to prevent TIP and provide
assistance and support to the victims.

--125,000 euros to a joint project administered by the Center
for Research and Support for Victims of Maltreatment and
Social Exclusion (CVME or "EKYTHKA" in Greek) between CVME,
ARSIS, and Albanian shelter KATHV entitled "Care and support
to TIP victims from NGOs and the judicial system -
development of relevant support systems in Albania."

--50,000 euros to CVME for a project to benefit Georgia
entitled "Development of Prevention Policies in Institutions
(primarily orphanages) in Georgia to Prevent Children from
Becoming TIP Victims" to train psychiatrists and social
workers, train workers at institutions, and provide creative
activities for children. (Ref 05 Athens 2779)

--50,000 euros to the Center for Research and Action on Peace
(KEDE) for a project to benefit Armenia entitled "Empowering
Socially Excluded Women in Armenia" to establish, equip, and
operate a vocational training center for 18-45 year old women
victims of TIP, immigrants, refugees and women who have
served time in jail.

--95,000 euros to Doctors of the World (MdM),Greece for a
prevention project entitled "Medical Care for Street Children
of Moldova" to benefit street children and children in the
"Regina Pacis" institution.

--75,000 euros to Klimaka for a project to benefit Greece and
the Ukraine entitled "Prevention of TIP and support to
victims in Greece and the Ukraine." The project supports
"empowerment" activities for victims, a shelter in Athens, a
public awareness campaign in Greece (a TV spot and leaflets),
and a prevention program in the Ukraine.

--40,000 euros to the European Network of Women (ENOW) for a
program entitled "SOS hotline for Victims of Modern Forms of
Slavery/TIP from Origin Countries of the Ukraine, Moldova,
Albania, Bulgaria, and African countries." The funding
extends ENOW's multi-lingual hotline operation to a 24-hour
basis and provides training to hotline personnel. ENOW also
has victim-directed multi-lingual public awareness television
spot and leaflets.

--81,000 euros to the Greek Council for Refugees for the
project "Legal Assistance to TIP Victim Asylum Seekers" for
research on the general situation of TIP victims and a
project of legal support to TIP victims.

--36,000 euros to the Mediterranean Women's Studies Center
(KEGME) for the continuation of the project "HESTIA:
Trafficking of Women and Girls for Sexual Exploitation in
Albania" which conducts seminars and training for police
personnel in Albania.

--130,000 euros to The Association for the Social Support of
Youth (ARSIS) for the prevention, identification and
protection project "Action for the Protection of Albanian
Children in Danger" to be carried out in Albania and Greece.

--78,810 euros to ACT UP-Greece for training in Greece of
four medical students from source countries that are
recipient countries of developmental aid on TB, STDs, and
HIV/AIDS.

--60,000 euros to ACT UP-Greece for information to and
registration of STD carriers in the target groups of TIP
victims, refugees, prostitutes, and drug users.

--97,000 euros to the Greek Chapter of the International
Police Association (IPA) for Seminars in 10 Greek cities on
"Immigrants, Rights, the Legal Framework, Trafficking, and
Child Prostitution" for Greek police. IPA estimates the
seminars reached at least 1,300 officers, with presentations
by 9 different NGOs, IOM, prosecutors, police, lawyers, and
university professors. Delegations from Albania, Bulgaria,
Cyprus, Moldova, Serbia and Montenegro, Romania and the
Ukraine were invited to attend the training seminar in
Thessaloniki.

--150,000 euros to the International Organization for
Migration (IOM) for two programs: "Combating Trafficking in
Human Beings - Voluntarily Repatriation" to repatriate
victims and provide for their social integration in countries
of origin, an information campaign to sensitize the public
through leaflets distributed throughout Greece, and awareness
raising through seminars. Target groups for repatriations
are victims of sexual and other forms of exploitation of any
gender and age. The second program is "A Study of Street
Working" in the regions of Attica, Peleponnese and Makedonia
(Northern Greece).

--100,000 euros to the Secretary General For Gender Equality
to support activities in Serbia-Montenegro and BiH for a
project entitled "Support to Neighboring Countries to Fight
Trafficking of Women" to provide medical, social, and
psychosocial support to victims and to conduct an awareness
raising campaign with IOM.

--Undisclosed funding approved for the European Center for
Public Law (ECPL),IOM, and Stability Pact for the three-year
project "Hera" for regional scholars and legal experts to
study and propose reform to TIP laws in Serbia-Montenegro,
Kosovo, Albania, Macedonia, BiH, Croatia, Moldova, Belarus,
and the Ukraine under the direction of the ECPL.

As with all Hellenic Aid projects on any issue, a percentage
of the funding is provided up front, and the remainder of the
funding is granted upon the receipt of acceptable interim and
final project assessments. (Embassy is aware and has
reported that certain NGOs have complained of significant
delays in transferring this funding to NGOs - see Ref 05
Thess 81.)

-- F. What is the relationship between government officials,
NGOs, other relevant organizations and other elements of
civil society on the trafficking issue?

Government and NGO cooperation took a step forward in 2005
with the completion of a Memorandum of Cooperation (MOC)
between the Interministerial Council, 12 NGOs and IOM. This
agreement, negotiated over three meetings with the
Secretaries General and NGOs, formalized cooperation between

SIPDIS
the GoG and those NGOs and allows organizations like the
Greek police to more easily and directly work with NGOs. One
particularly vocal NGO, Greek Helsinki Monitor, was not
invited to negotiate or sign the MOC. One NGO that does
street work, ACT UP, decided not to sign the MOC because it
does not cover provisions for NGOs that do street work. One
NGO called the MOC a document "for the U.S. embassy, not the
Greek reality." The 12 signatory NGOs reported that while
the document was "not perfect," they signed it because they
wanted to facilitate movement on TIP issues with various
ministries, and were eager to improve cooperation and
coordination with the GoG. Since the signing of the
document, the "Working Group" has been established which
provides NGOs, including some who did not sign, direct access
to working level contacts at the MOJ, MPO, MOI, MFA and MOH.

The former Minister of Health (there was a cabinet change on
February 14, 2006 and he was replaced) and Secretary General
of MOH stated publicly in April 2005 that certain NGOs
"blackmail" the GoG for additional funding by inflating
numbers of potential TIP victims in the country.

-- G. Does it monitor immigration and emigration patterns for
evidence of trafficking? Do law enforcement agencies screen
for potential trafficking victims along borders?

Law enforcement authorities, including border patrol officers
and airport authorities, screen arrivals for possible TIP
victims and travelers with fraudulent documents as part of
its Schengen responsibilities. Airport and immigration law
enforcement specialists are included in TIP training programs
and are members of the diplomatic-NGO-governmental
authorities "Working Group." Greece has acceptable border
controls in general, though thousands of illegal immigrants
cross or are smuggled into the country every year.

There have been isolated cases of police identifying and
referring TIP cases from airports and police stations, but
there is no systematic monitoring of immigration and
emigration patterns for evidence of trafficking. Many
victims of sex trafficking come with legal tourist or
temporary visas, implying that increased efforts for victim
screening are needed at Greek consulates. Nationals of some
countries, such as Bulgaria and Romania, do not need visas to
enter Greece, which likely contributes to larger numbers of
victims from those countries.

-- H. Is there a mechanism for coordination and communication
between various agencies, internal, international, and
multilateral on trafficking- related matters, such as a
multi-agency working group or a task force? Does the
government have a trafficking in persons working group or
single point of contact? Does the government have a public
corruption task force?

There is an Interministerial Committee at the Secretary
General level that meets regularly and shares TIP
information, progress, programs, and trends among ministries,
headed by the MOJ. The MFA and MPO take the lead on
coordinating with multilateral bodies, such as OSCE, on TIP.
However TIP specialists visiting Greece in 2005-2006 from
international organizations (OSCE, ILO, IOM, UN),met with a
range of officials from many involved ministries. A TIP
"Working Group" was established by the MFA and IOM in
November 2005 between origin, transit, and destination
country diplomats, NGOs, and working level government
authorities (Ref 05 Athens 3157). In its most recent meeting
on February 21, there were over 55 representatives present
for the productive two-hour discussion. The Ministry of
Public Order has an anticorruption unit in its Bureau of
Internal Affairs, which has investigated a limited number of
TIP-related cases.

-- J. Does the government have a national plan of action to
address trafficking in persons? If so, which agencies were
involved in developing it? Were NGOs consulted in the
process? What steps has the government taken to disseminate
the action plan?

The GoG has a National Action Plan (NAP) to address TIP,
entitled "Integrated Program: Actions for the Suppression of
Trafficking in Human Beings." The NAP covers
inter-ministerial activities and specific activities of eight
ministries, and NGOs were consulted in its development. The
MOJ Secretary General and the Interministerial Council
presented the NAP at a press conference in 2004. The
government has taken steps to disseminate the NAP via its
public release and press conference, at international
conferences and meetings, as well as by delivering it to
international organizations such as the IOM, SECI, OSCE, and
EU and their representatives. In 2005 the GoG produced an
update on its progress on the NAP.

Greece 2006 TIP Report Submission Continued Septel.
Ries