The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) recently decided to double the number of its personnel in Greece and significantly increase its funding to assist the country in its efforts to speed up procedures for granting or rejecting political asylum.
Currently employing 500 individuals in this area, the EASO agency will now double its workforce to 1,000 inside the country of Greece, while increasing its funding by 30 percent.
Executive Director of EASO Nina Gregori and Greece’s alternate Minister of Immigration George Koumoutsakos signed a hosting agreement on Tuesday in Athens.
📌Today #EASO and the Greek government signed a Hosting Agreement between the Agency and #Greece🇬🇷, allowing EASO to be better able to support the Greek #asylum and reception authorities.
📰See press release: https://t.co/Qyoa8xanRt.@NinaGregoriEASO @GKoumoutsakos pic.twitter.com/fFNWSOdx6N
— EASO (@EASO) January 28, 2020
The agreement, which will be voted on later by the Greek Parliament, offers a clear role for the EASO regarding its operation within Greece.
EASO personnel in Greece will work in many different departments, including the National Asylum service, the National Dublin Unit, the Reception and Identification Service as well as an Appeals Authority.
According to the agreement, the EASO will double the number of its personnel on the Greek islands, which are the hotbed of the migration crisis, and it will triple the number of its employees on mainland Greece.
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