Albania Greece
U.S. Department of State Websites of U.S. Embassies and Consulates
• Greece: Thessaloniki ... • Greece: Athens ... [Read More]
Countries and Other Areas
Bureau of European and Eurasian AffairsCountries and Other Areas [Read More]
Europe and Eurasia
Greece ... Bureau of Public Affairs Electronic Information and Publications Office [Read More]
Consular Information Sheets
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z | ... [Read More]
Greece
Greece is a constitutional republic and multiparty parliamentary democracy. The Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) won the majority of parliamentary seats for a second consecutive term in free and fair parliamentary elections held in 2000. Its leader, Constantine Simitis, has been Prime Minister since 1996. The judiciary is independent. ... Greece ... The law permits the Government to remove citizenship from anyone who "commit acts contrary to the interests of Greece for the benefit of a foreign state." While the law applies to citizens regardless of ethnicity, it has been enforced, in all but one case, only against citizens who identified themselves as members of the "Macedonian" minority. The Government did not reveal the number of such cases; there were no reports of new cases during the year. Dual citizens who lost their citizenship under this provision sometimes were prevented from entering the country on the passport of their second nationality. ... [Read More]
Greece
The Government generally does not seek out such individuals for deportation; largely because until November Greece and Turkey did not have a readmission agreement, and the Government found it practically impossible to deport formally individuals who entered Greece from Turkey. In July the UNHCR visited the Greek-Turkish land border (a military zone) to ascertain whether a group of 250 persons from various African countries were detained there. While no evidence was found at the time, some of those persons who had been deported from Turkey to Greece and back again, arrived in Greece and applied for asylum. ... [Read More]
Albania
According to the Ministry of Public Order, there were 4,000 children trafficked from the country between 1992 and 2000. Children were generally trafficked for begging or sexual exploitation. Trafficked Albanians increasingly fell into the 12 to 18-year-old age group. Roma and Egyptian communities were particularly vulnerable due to poverty and illiteracy. Children, including boys, also were trafficked for begging. Such children often were bought from families, and in a few cases kidnapped reportedly for the purpose of prostitution or pedophilia rings abroad. For example, in November, five people (two in Korca and three in Pogradec) received prison sentences ranging from 15-20 years for trafficking newborn babies to Greece. At year's end, the case had been appealed and authorities were waiting for additional evidence from their Greek counterparts before presenting at the Court of Appeals. Also in November, there were press reports that an ... [Read More]
Albania (05/05)
Albania maintains generally good relations with its neighbors, and has or is seeking FTAs with all the Balkan countries. It re-established diplomatic relations with the Former Republic of Yugoslavia following the ousting of Slobodan Milosevic in 2000. Although the final status of Kosovo remains a key issue in Albanian-Serbian relations, both nations are committed to achieving a peaceful resolution. Albanian, Macedonian, and Italian law enforcement agencies are cooperating with increasing efficiency to crack down on the trafficking of arms, drugs, contraband, and human beings across their borders. Albania has also arrested and prosecuted several ethnic-Albanian extremists on charges of inciting interethnic hatred in Macedonia and Kosovo. Tensions occasionally arise with Greece over the treatment of the Greek minority in Albania or the Albanian community in Greece, but overall relations are good, and Greece is a strong proponent of Albania's eventual integration into the EU and NATO. Alb ... [Read More]
Greece (02/05)
Greece restored diplomatic relations with Albania in 1971, but the Greek Government did not formally lift the state of war, declared during World War II, until 1987. After the fall of the Albanian communist regime in 1991, relations between Athens and Tirana became increasingly strained because of allegations of mistreatment of the Greek ethnic minority by Albanian authorities in southern Albania. A wave of Albanian illegal economic migrants to Greece exacerbated tensions. In the past several years, however, cooperation between Greece and Albania has improved, with efforts focused on regional issues, such as narcotics trafficking and illegal immigration. However, tensions hover just below the surface. Greece remains host to 600,000-800,000 Albanian immigrants, many of them illegal. Albanian crime in Greece often attracts headlines. ... [Read More]
V. Country Narratives -- Countries A through G
Greece is a destination country for women, men, and children trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor. Most victims come from Eastern Europe and the Balkans, some transit to other EU countries. Although the number of identified Roma and Albanian child victims decreased, they continued to be trafficked for commercial sexual exploitation and forced labor. Various sources noted a possible new trend of African women trafficked for the purposes of sexual exploitation. The Government of Greece does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so. Greece is placed on Tier 2 Watch List for a second consecutive year for its failure to show evidence of increasing efforts to combat trafficking, particularly in the area of victim protection and assistance. The government fail ... [Read More]
|