GREECE TIP REPORT SUBMISSION 2008 - PART 2

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ATHENS 000365

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 2

REF: State 2731

ATHENS 00000365 001.2 OF 003


Sensitive but Unclassified -- Protect Accordingly.


1. (SBU) Below are Embassy Athens' responses to the 2008 TIP report
questionnaire. Text is keyed to Ref request for "Prevention"
Section. This is the second of four cables.


2. (SBU) PREVENTION:
--------------
-- A. Does the government acknowledge that trafficking is a problem
in that country? If not, why not?

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

-- B. Are there, or have there been, government-run anti-
trafficking information or education campaigns conducted during the
reporting period? If so, briefly describe the campaign(s),
including their objectives and effectiveness.
Please provide the number of people reached by such awareness
efforts if available. Do these campaigns target potential
trafficking victims and/or the demand for trafficking (e.g.
"clients" of prostitutes or beneficiaries of forced labor)?

In 2007, the government continued the same television campaign used
in previous years as its public awareness campaign. Additionally,
it continued to finance an IOM-produced information card in Greek,
English, Romanian and Russian to alert potential victims to the law
enforcement resources available to help them. The card is
distributed at all check points to women entering Greece from
specific countries. Anecdotally, the card has also been observed
posted in police stations.

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

Government and NGOs largely enjoy good ongoing formal cooperation in
providing assistance and support to victims. The GoG provided funds
to NGOs and IOM to conduct prevention programs in origin countries.
Government and NGOs cooperate on the basis of a Memorandum of
Cooperation signed in 2005. Both parties further enhanced the MOC
in 2007 by adding a new annex that describes the services available
to victims by NGOs and by accepting new NGOs as signatories to the
MOC. One new NGO, Nea Zoi, signed the MOC in 2007.

NGOs and police work directly -- formally and informally -- on
identifying and screening victims. In 2007, for the first time,
police notified NGOs before conducting a raid on locations with
suspected TIP victims. The NGOs provided victim screening and
referring women to appropriate services and shelters and was seen by
both police and NGOs as being an excellent success. NGOs, including
"the Smile of the Child," European Network of Women, and others are
now regularly called to teach at different training seminars for
police personnel, justices, prosecutors and other trafficking
related professionals. An NGO called Med.in, supported by the
Ministry of Public Order, has an office and a medical unit within
the major detention center for illegal aliens in Athens. It provides
brochures about trafficking to potential victims and staff members
encourage victims to speak with law enforcement after admitting to
social workers, psychologists, psychiatrists or medical staff that
they have been trafficked.

? Thessaloniki-based NGO, the Center for Rehabilitation of Victims
of Torture (CRVT),reports that there have been several occasions
when it has not been informed by the police of important TIP cases,
despite it having the only psychiatrist experienced in working with
trafficking victims. According to CRCT, the fact that the Public
Prosecutor makes the referral decision only after an individual is
acknowledged as a victim, necessarily excludes their psychiatric
expertise in recognizing victims and results in victims being
overlooked. CRVT complained that it had only received two referrals
in the two months previous to this report.

Many NGOs continue to report difficulties in getting funding that

ATHENS 00000365 002 OF 003


was promised by the GoG. The GoG reports that one half of funding
is distributed at the beginning of a project and the rest is paid
upon submission of appropriate documentation. Some NGOs, says the
GoG, fail to comply with the documentation requirements and some
change the scope of their previously approved projects. In 2008 the
GoG announced that it would review its budget for different NGO
projects and would limit the number of NGOs receiving funding. The
reviewing process has not been completed yet, and its results have
not been announced.

-- D. Does the government 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.

-- E. 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 in previous years met regularly and shares TIP
information, progress, programs, and trends among ministries, headed
by the MOJ. In 2007, the group did not meet between March 2007 and
January 2008. The MFA and MPO take the lead on coordinating with
multilateral bodies, such as OSCE, on TIP. A TIP "Diplomatic Forum
" was established by the MFA and IOM in November 2005 between
origin, transit, and destination country diplomats, NGOs, and
working level government authorities, and they reportedly met one
time in 2007. The "Diplomatic Forum" has said it will meet again in
March 2008. 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.

-- F. 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 (NAtled
"National Action Pngs." TheQ 2005 TVPRA, what measures has the government taken
during the reporting period to reduce the demand for commercial sex
acts? (See ref B, para. 9(3) for examples)

--Commercial sex is legal in Greece; we are not aware of measures
taken by the government to reduce the demand for it.

-- H. Required of Posts in EU countries and posts in
Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, China, Singapore,
South Korea, Taiwan, and Hong Kong: As part of the new criteria
added to the TVPA's minimum standards by the 2005
TVPRA, what measures has the government taken during the reporting
period to reduce the participation in international child sex
tourism by nationals of the country?

Article 323 B of the Greek Penal Code provides for imprisonment for
up to ten years for "any person who organizes, finances, advertises
or negotiates for tourism, the intention of which is to perform
sexual intercourse or other lewd acts with a person under the age of
18 and further provides for at least one year imprisonment for any

ATHENS 00000365 003.2 OF 003


person who engages in such travel.

-- I. What measures has the government adopted to ensure that its
nationals who are deployed abroad as part of a peacekeeping or other
similar mission do not engage in or facilitate severe forms of
trafficking or exploit victims of such trafficking?

The Hellenic Army General Staff confirmed that TIP training is
included in the pre-deployment training for Greek forces that deploy
abroad. The training is included in the module for Border Security.
Additionally, as a NATO member, Greece has committed to follow the
NATO Policy on Combating Trafficking in Human Beings, which includes
a commitment that all personnel taking part in NATO-led operations
should receive appropriate training to make them aware of the
problem and how this modern day slavery trade impacts on human
rights, stability and security.

NOMINATION OF HEROES AND BEST PRACTICES
--------------


A. Emma Skjonsby Manousaridis (an Amcit) is the director of the
faith-based NGO New Life (Nea Zoi). She and her staff of
volunteers, night after night walk into brothels and up to
street-walkers to talk to them about getting out of prostitution.
She and her staff frequently face threats of volnce. They
cooperate closely with the Embassy, with the GoG and with Greek
Police and are always willing to share their helpful insights.


B. Major George Vanikiotis is the head of the Athens Anti-TIP unit
and has taken important steps towards eradicating TIP in Greece. In
the summer of 2007, Major Vanikiotis notified one anti-TIP NGO 24
hours prior to a massive raid. The NGO was not told specific
details but was advised to be at the ready. Shortly before the
raids, NGO staff came to the police station and Anti-trafficking
officers brought arrested women to speak with the NGO personnel,
including a psychologist. Approximately 6 victims were identified.



C. Ms. Eva Roussou is a trained psychologist working at the Klimaka
shelter in Athens. She works tirelessly on behalf of TIP victims
and has worked to develop a strong relationship between NGOs and the
Greek police.

Best practices

As described above, Major Vanikiotis' working in advance with a
trusted NGO and having them at the police station to meet with
victims is a best practice that approximates the role of
victim-witness advocates in the United States and should continue to
be used by police departments.

Greece 2008 TIP Report Submission Continued Septel.