The Greek-Turkish Border Crisis in times of Pandemic and Beyond

• Jurisdiction: European Union
• Year: 2021
• Author: Minos Mouzourakis

Speaker

Minos Mouzourakis works as Legal Officer at Refugee Support Aegean (RSA), a Greek non-profit organisation focusing on strategic litigation in support of refugees, monitoring human rights violations as well as the provision of legal, social and humanitarian support in individual cases. He has previously worked at the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) on the reform and implementation of the Common European Asylum System. Minos holds an MSc in Refugee and Forced Migration Studies from the University of Oxford and law degrees from University College London and Aix-Marseille Universite, and has conducted research for the European Parliament, UNHCR and academia.

Topic

In his analysis, Minos Mouzourakis delves into the intricacies of the asylum systems in Turkey and Greece, situating them within the broader landscape of the Covid-19 pandemic. His meticulous examination sheds light on the far-reaching consequences of this global health crisis, particularly with regard to the Common European Asylum System (CEAS) and the New Pact on Migration and Asylum.

Against the backdrop of the Covid-19 pandemic, Mouzourakis scrutinizes how Turkey and Greece have grappled with the challenges of processing asylum claims and managing refugee populations. He explores the unique pressures and constraints imposed by the pandemic, such as the need for enhanced health and safety measures within asylum facilities, border closures, and restrictions on mobility. These factors have not only strained the resources of these countries but have also raised critical questions about the protection of vulnerable asylum seekers during times of crisis.

Furthermore, Mouzourakis examines the ripple effects of the pandemic on the CEAS, the overarching framework governing asylum and migration policies in the European Union. The pandemic has underscored the necessity for greater cohesion and coordination among EU member states, as the virus does not respect national borders. Mouzourakis explores how the pandemic has revealed the vulnerabilities and disparities within the CEAS, emphasizing the urgent need for reforms and a more unified approach to asylum and migration...