As the result of stricter border controls in Spain and Italy illegal immigration has increased dramatically in Greece. Every year thousands of immigrants try to cross the greek-turkish border by land. Many refugees drown while attempting to cross the border river Evros. For a better life in Europe, they are walking through mined land by night. Once in Greece and therefore in the European Union, the migrants wait for the police to pick them up with busses and bring them to the detention center, where they are fingerprinted and given a one-month residence permit. Most of the illegal immigrants travel further to Athens. During the the first eight months of 2010, the local authorities counted officially 23 000 illegal immigrants. Many immigrants apply for a refugee status but the Greek authorities approves less than one percent of the application. According to the European Union figures, nearly 90 percent of all people caught trying to enter the 27-member Union illegally, are arrested on the border of debt-ridden Greece. Angelos Tzortzinis photographed in and around Nea Vissa the flow of refugees, which begin every night anew.
© / Border to Turkey.Illegal immigrant on the railroad.
© / Border between Greece and Turkey at night.
© / Illegal Immigrantion at the border of Greece. Passage of hope. Area with landmines.
© / Illegal Immigrantion at the border of Greece. Passage of hope.
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Immigrant at the railway station Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Waiting immigrants at the railway sttation of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigrantion at the border of Greece. Waiting immigrants.
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Waiting immigrants at the railway sttation of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece.Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece.Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece. Immigrants at the railway station Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigrants were transported from the greek border guards to the detention center.
© / Illegal Immigration in Greece.Immigrants at the street of Nea Vissa
© / Illegal Immigrants were transported from the greek border guards to the detention center.
© / Illegal Immigrants were transported from the greek border guards to the detention center.
© / Illegal Immigrantion at the border of Greece. Passage of hope.
© / Illegal Immigrantion at the border of Greece. Passage of hope.
© / Illegal Immigrantion at the border of Greece. Passage of hope.
© / Illegal Immigrantion at the border of Greece. Passage of hope.
© / Border to Turkey. Illegal Immigration in Greece.
© / Railroad. Border to Turkey.