Greece Government

The government succeeded in 2000 in reducing budget deficits and inflation, allowing Greece to join the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) on January 1, 2001. Greece, along with 11 out of its 14 European Union (EU) partners, adopted the euro as its new common currency in January 2002. The euro was expected to boost trade, help dismantle the last remaining market barriers within the EU, and stimulate production. However, a more relaxed fiscal policy since 2002 and higher expenditures associated with the preparation of the Athens 2004 Olympics resulted in higher deficits and debt in 2003 and 2004. The government deficit in 2004 is estimated to have reached 5.3 percent of GDP and the debt 112 percent of GDP. The new administration has pledged to reduce the government debt to 2.8 percent of GDP in 2005 and to tighten fiscal finances. ... [Read More]

Greece

The U.S. Government remains deeply concerned about the heightened threat of terrorist attacks against U.S. citizens and interests abroad.  In the post-9/11 environment, Greece shares with the rest of the world an increased threat of international Islamic terrorism.  Like other countries in the Schengen area, Greece's open borders with its Western European neighbors allow the possibility of terrorist groups entering/exiting the country with anonymity.  Additionally, certain Greek domestic terrorist groups have, in the past, assassinated U.S. government personnel and Greek anarchist groups have recently targeted U.S. commercial interests. While strikes and demonstrations are a regular occurrence in Greece, civil disorder is rare.  Visitors should keep abreast of news about demonstrations.  Wh ... [Read More]

V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G

Cyprus is a destination country for women trafficked from Eastern and Central Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation. Traffickers who forced women into prostitution continued to fraudulently recruit victims for work as dancers in cabarets and nightclubs on short-term "artiste" visas, for work in pubs and bars on employment visas, or for illegal work on tourist or student visas. There was increasing evidence of Chinese women being trafficked for sexual exploitation in Cyprus. The Government of Cyprus does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Cyprus made some progress in its anti-trafficking efforts over the past year. The new police anti-trafficking unit produced successful results and showed vigilance in combating the problem. Government recognition of the problem improve ... [Read More]

Greece

Controversy between the Muslim community and the Government also continued over the management and self-government of the wakfs (Muslim charitable organizations), regarding the appointment of officials as well as the degree and type of administrative control.  A 1980 law placed the administration of the wakfs in the hands of the appointed muftis and their representatives.  In response to objections from some Muslims that this arrangement weakened the financial autonomy of the wakfs and violated the terms of the Treaty of Lausanne, a 1996 presidential decree put the wakfs under the administration of a committee for 3 years as an interim measure pending the resolution of outstanding problems.  The interim period was extended in 1999.  In the past, Muslim activists complained that the Government regularly lodges tax liens against the wakfs, although they are tax-free religious foundations in theory.  Under a 1999 national land and property registry law, the wakfs, ... [Read More]

Greece

Differences remain within the Turcophone Muslim community and between segments of the community and the Government regarding the means of selecting muftis. Under existing law, the Government appoints two muftis and one assistant mufti, all residents in Thrace. The Government argued that it must appoint the muftis, as is the practice in Muslim countries, because in addition to religious duties, they perform judicial functions in many civil and domestic matters under Muslim religious law, for which the State pays them. Hence the Government selects a committee of Turcophone Muslim notables, which recommends appointments to the 10-year mufti terms. Some Muslims accept the authority of the two government-appointed muftis; other Muslims have "elected" two muftis to serve their communities since they maintain that the government of a non-Muslim country cannot appoint muftis. There is no established procedure or practice for these nongovernmental elections. ... [Read More]

Greece

Catholics reside primarily in Athens and on the islands of Syros, Tinos, Naxos, and Corfu, as well as in the cities of Thessaloniki and Patras. Immigrants from the Philippines and Poland also practice Catholicism. The Bishop of Athens heads the Roman Catholic Holy Synod. Some religious groups, such as the evangelicals and Jehovah's Witnesses, consist almost entirely of ethnic Greeks. Other groups, such as Mormons and Anglicans, consist of an approximately equal number of ethnic Greeks and non-Greeks. The Turcophone Muslim community, concentrated in Thrace with small communities in Rhodes, Kos, and in Athens, is composed mainly of ethnic Turks but also includes Pomaks and Roma. A growing number of Muslim immigrants from South Asia and elsewhere live in Athens and in rural areas. Scientologists, most of whom are located in the Athens area, prac ... [Read More]

Greece

The law provides for the granting of asylum and refugee status to persons who meet the definition in the 1951 U.N. Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees and its 1967 Protocol. In practice, the Government provided some protection against refoulement and granted refugee status to 3 out of 7,271 applicants during the first 10 months of the year. However, the Government has largely not enforced a 1999 presidential decree that brought the law into compliance with the standards of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) with regard to asylum procedures. The Government also provides temporary protection to individuals who do not qualify as asylees or refugees. During the first 10 months of the year, the Government granted temporary residence to 25 persons on humanitarian grounds until they could be repatriated abroad. The Government cooperated with the office of the UNHCR and other humanitarian organizations in assisting refugees. ... [Read More]

Greece

Differences remained within the Muslim community and between segments of the community and the Government over the means of selection of muftis. In 1991 in accordance with the law, the Government, upon receiving recommendations from a government-selected committee of Muslims selected by the Government, appointed two muftis and one assistant mufti, all resident in Thrace, to 10-year terms. Most Muslims accepted the authority of the two officially appointed muftis; other Muslims, with support from Turkey, have "elected" two different muftis to serve their communities, although there is no established procedure or practice for election. The Government prosecuted the "elected" muftis for usurping authority, and the courts repeatedly convicted one of the elected muftis for usurping the authority of the official mufti; all of his respective sentences remained suspended pending appeal at year's end. On October 17, the ECHR ruled the Greek Government had violated one of the "elect ... [Read More]

Olympics 2004 Fact Sheet (Greece)

Travelers who claim Greek citizenship, or whom the Greek government considers to be Greek citizens should be aware that they may be expected to fulfill certain obligations under Greek law. If the Government of Greece considers you a Greek citizen, you may also be subject to Greek laws about mandatory military service, and should investigate this possibility before traveling to Greece. For more information on dual citizenship, ... [Read More]