States and Migration: The Human Movement Podcast17 Heinä 2025

#25 IOM Greece: migration governance, refugee returns, and asylum support explained

IOM Greece plays a central role in migration governance and refugee assistance. This episode explores the International Organization for Migration's operations, voluntary return programmes, and coordination with Greek authorities.

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 https://www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-25/.

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/IeYQ_OZucn8

In this episode, Emmanuel Comte interviews Daniel Esdras—former IOM Chief in Greece and interim Migration Minister—on the dramatic shifts in migration policy, crisis management, and human smuggling. Drawing on over three decades of frontline experience, Esdras discusses the Albanian labor influx, the 2015 refugee crisis, Greece’s economic dependencies on undocumented labor, and the moral complexities of human trafficking. This episode delivers rare insights into EU-Turkey migration policy, IOM operations, and the systemic gaps in global migration governance. Essential listening for anyone exploring European border politics, humanitarian crises, or migration reform.

This interview was arranged by Xenia Saratsioti and edited by Andriana Lagoudes. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.

00:00 Introduction
02:34 Joining IOM: Personal Motivations and Early Career
09:59 Migration Transitions in Southeastern Europe
12:16 From Transit to Destination: Greece After 2000
13:48 The 2015–2016 Migration Crisis
19:28 The EU-Turkey Statement and Policy Shifts
21:06 IOM’s Role in Migration Management, Voluntary Return, and Reintegration Programs
24:58 Combating Human Trafficking
30:44 Undocumented Labor and Policy Proposals
37:58 Legal Pathways and Employer Incentives
40:48 Ministerial Experience During the 2023 Interim Government
44:20 The Pylos Shipwreck and Criminal Smuggling
46:44 Global Migration Patterns
50:17 Final Reflections on Migration Governance

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#30 Cyprus migrant workers in agriculture: The Pancyprian Farmers Union speaks out – Chr. Papapetrou

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#29 Italy's migration diplomacy: inside Italian strategy on Tunisia, Libya, and Europe's southern border

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#28 Balkan route migration explained: 30 years of lessons from IOM's Donatella Bradic

Balkan route migration has shaped European asylum policy for decades. Donatella Bradic draws on thirty years with the International Organization for Migration to explain smuggling networks, EU border ...

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#27 When 900,000 refugees arrived: Georgios Kaminis on leading Athens through the 2015 crisis

Athens’ migration policy transformed the Greek capital during the refugee crisis. Former Mayor Giorgos Kaminis shares how cities manage migration, integrate refugees, and navigate tensions between loc...

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#26 Greek agriculture migrant labour: Christos Giannakakis on immigrant workers and farming's future

Greek agriculture migrant labour keeps the country's farms running despite legal grey zones. Christos Giannakakis discusses immigrant workers, agricultural cooperatives, and the structural dependence ...

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#24 AI hiring and global mobility: Casey Marquette on how Scout is changing cross-border recruitment

AI hiring platforms are transforming how companies recruit across borders. Casey Marquette, founder of Scout, explains how artificial intelligence screens candidates 160 times faster than humans, oper...

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