The National Emergency Response Mechanism (EMEA) of the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum takes a central role in the process of identifying and helping unaccompanied minors, but also more broadly vulnerable people with a refugee profile. The service started operating in 2021 and has so far contributed to the identification and accommodation of thousands of minors. Among the action plans of the EMEA is the extension of aid in general to vulnerable refugees who come to our country, as the General Secretary of Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection, Iraklis Moskof, emphasizes in his statement to APE-MPE.

A typical example of the mechanism’s action is its contribution to the identification and assistance of two unaccompanied minors who were in danger. On September 19, the EMEA was informed by the Non-Governmental Organization ARSIS, a partner in Thessaloniki, about the case of two unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan, aged 16 and 17, who, according to their statement, were in the Thessaloniki area and were being held in a traffickers’ house. At first the minors did not want to share their location. However, the next day, they agreed to share their location with ARSIS and through an online application it appeared that they were within the Dendropotamos area. The minors also sent photos of the area where they are being held and reported that they are on the roof of a building. In addition, they confirmed that the people who are keeping them in the place are asking them for extra money and that is why they are preventing them from leaving the house until they find a way to pay them.

After receiving all the above information, both ARSIS and EMEA contacted the Police Directorate of Foreigners of Thessaloniki, citing all the information, including photographs, that they had in their possession. The EMEA then contacted the Police again and was informed that there was an operation in progress. Finally, the two unaccompanied minors from Afghanistan were located and transferred first to the Immigration Department of Agios Athanasios and then to the Immigration Management Department of Mygdonia, after completing their statements.

The Mechanism received a referral from the Department of Mygdonia for the two minors, for whom it immediately arranged their accommodation in an emergency accommodation structure and was informed by the Police that the said operation concerned victims of kidnapping and extortion.

The National Emergency Response Mechanism for the protection of unaccompanied minors (EMEA), which began its operation in April 2021, has effectively contributed to the timely identification and safe accommodation of 3,258 unaccompanied children who were previously in precarious living conditions or homeless.

“We have contributed to the rescue of victims of trafficking through the National Emergency Response Mechanism. In the context of the new General Secretariat of Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection, we plan to expand the actions and procedures through which we will rescue people beyond minors, victims of exploitation and trafficking, utilizing the relevant experience of co-competent agencies, international organizations and organizations of the Society of Citizens”, Iraklis Moskof, General Secretary of Vulnerable Citizens and Institutional Protection, emphasizes to APE-MPE.