The rocky path to power for the Greens in 2023 Analysis 2023 promises to be a crucial electoral year in Europe as voters elect new national leaders in several major countries, including Turkey, Poland and Spain. This article explores the role of the European Green Party (EGP) members in these elections. By Tobias Gerhard Schminke
Under pressure: a Rule of Law and humanitarian crisis on the external borders of the EU Commentary The UNHCR and the IOM jointly called upon Italy and all EU Member States who abide by applicable legislation, to protect people and distribute responsibility within the EU fairly. Humanity and the Rule of Law are in the EU’s most basic interests – if these go unheeded at its external borders, they can hardly be defended within. By Neda Noraie-Kia
World Refugee Day 2022 – Flight across the Aegean… History repeating itself Commentary Some 100 million people are currently forcibly displaced worldwide. This year's World Refugee Day therefore, once again, marks a sad record: never before have there been so many refugees as this year, according to UNHCR figures. The brutal war of aggression against Ukraine has played a part in that. By Neda Noraie-Kia
Rethinking EU energy policy and energy efficiency: a Greek perspective Analysis The Russian invasion of Ukraine in late February 2022 brought home what most of us knew already but had assigned secondary importance to: renewable energy properly deployed is not only good for the environment and human health, it is also good for people’s pockets and their freedom. By Elias Gianniris and Georgios Kostakos
On the radar – How civil society work is under threat in Greece Analysis Civil society players have been working hard for years to safeguard the fundamental rights of people seeking asylum in Europe. This has made them the target of an aggressive policy of deterrence, endangering both refugees and solidarity work itself. By Wasil Schauseil
Four reasons why care fails and gender-based violence remains resilient in a 'crisis' context Commentary What does care mean in a Covid-19 pandemic context? Why does care fail and gender-based violence becomes even more resilient in itself, despite being conceptualised as a "pandemic within a pandemic" in a context of intensifying sexism, culturalist stereotypes and xenophobia, not to mention social policing and the intensive securitization of borders and mobility? By Eirini Avramopoulou
Media pluralism at risk in Greece Commentary After a long period during which the media landscape has been mirroring the prevailing clientelism, Greece is now experiencing a rapid downslide towards dangerous pathways regarding media pluralism that bring the quality of democracy in the country into question. A look at the events and political developments that have accumulated over the last months. By Michalis Goudis
On the border: Greece’s response to Afghan asylum seekers Commentary Just days after Taliban violently seized control of Afghanistan, the Greek Minister for Migration and Asylum, Notis Mitarakis, has warned of a repeat of the situation in 2015 and announced that Greece will not be the “gateway to Europe for illegal Afghan migrants”. By Neda Noraie-Kia
"Citizen of Moria", a story about the universal values of humankind, the power of art and real friendship and solidarity Interview The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Thessaloniki office, together with the Goethe Institute Thessaloniki, organised a public screening of the movie “Citizen of Moria” and took our audience on a journey to Europe’s most notorious refugee camp. In a personal interview the film-maker and protagonist Ahmad Ebrahimi talks about the struggle of being forced to flee in search for protection. By Neda Noraie-Kia
Green Room #2 Interview with the Greek Ombudsman on his latest report on alleged pushbacks Event recording Neda Noraie-Kia, Head of Migration Policy Europe at Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung Thessaloniki office, talked to the Greek Ombudsman, Mr. Andreas I. Pottakis, about his latest report on alleged pushbacks to Turkey of foreign nationals who had arrived in Greece in search for international protection. He raises serious concerns regarding the level of the protection of human rights in Greece and suggest investigation by the Greek police, but also EU policies in order to improve the transparency of the EU border and coast guard agency’s (FRONTEX). By Neda Noraie-Kia