For certain years, Greece has been a path for thousands of illegal immigrants, annually. In 2008, Greek coast guards officers arrested 15,315 migrants while the try to enter the country illegally by boat, a 65 percent spike over 2007, according the Merchant Marine Ministry of Greece. Thousands more have also died over the years trying to cross the sea to reach the European Union. The EU promised Greece and the other front-line states of Cyprus, Malta, Spain, and Italy help in securing maritime borders against the daily influx. Athens former conservative government warned that immigration was pushing the countries resources to a limit and according to the former prime minister of Greece Kostas Karamanlis a number of measures must be adopted without delay.The countries of the west are seen as havens of hope and even survival by the impoverished and forgotten populations of many Asian, African and Middle Eastern countries. Violent conflicts and the demographic explosion in the developing world have swollen the westward-bound tide of desperate families and individuals, most of them come from Afghanistan, Somalia and Kurdistan, seeking a new and better life.
150.000 illegal immigrants over sea or land arriving in 2008 Greece, the economical, social and humanitarian problems of this massive surge are obvious. The main places of entrance are the islands Samos, Lesbos, and Agathonisi which are situated near the borders with Turkey. Turkish people smugglers make a big profit since they charge 2000-3000 Euro's for each immigrant, for the journey from Turkey to Greece using a motorboat. Thus, Greek officials also blame Turkey for talking insufficient measures to stem the outflow of clandestine migrants from its own territory. The Hellenic Coast Guard possessing a key role in the area of Aegean Sea. It is the only way to control the illegal immigration every day.
The reportage were made on Samos, a Greek island in the North Aegean sea, one mile from the Turkish borders. After a medical check-up, the illegal immigrants were led to the island’s reception center for illegal immigrants, where they stay for about one month in average.
© / Caught immigrants in a rubber boat with immigrants.
© / The Helenic Coast guard has caught a rubber boat with immigrants.
© / The Helenic Coast guard has caught a rubber boat with immigrants.
© / The Helenic Coast guard has caught a rubber boat with immigrants.
© / The Helenic Coast guard has caught a rubber boat with immigrants.
© / The Helenic Coast guard has caught a rubber boat with immigrants.
© / A man of the Hellenic special forces tangs one of the illegal immigrants with a number on his hand.
© / Two men from Somalia on the way to the reception center on Samos island
© / Two Afghan on the way to the reception center on Samos island
© / Arrested immigrant is sleeping in front of the building of the coast guard.
© / An immigrant on the way to the reception center on Samos island.
© / Illegal immigrants in Athens.
© / A Somalian arrested immigrant waits to reach in Samos island
© / Reception center on Samos island. An afghan immigrant with his child behind a fence.
© / Reception center on Samos island. The face of an afghan immigrant behind a fence.
© / Boat of the Immigrants