Swiss court: refugee families must return to Greece

Expulsion of refugee families to Greece is possible Keystone-SDA

The Federal Administrative Court has ruled that it is reasonable for families that received asylum in Greece to return to the country. Switzerland had stopped sending refugees back to Greece for a while because of the precarious situation.

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Although the situation for refugees in Greece has not improved significantly, simply pointing to difficult living conditions is not sufficient, the court found. Those affected must demonstrate that, despite their efforts, they have not been able to build a decent existence in Greece.

In this specific case, an Afghan family with two minor children must return to Greece, where they are recognised as refugees.

If necessary, families should ask for support from state institutions, social authorities or non-governmental organisations.

The Federal Administrative Court does not accept a lack of knowledge of Greek or English as justification for a lack of effort. It is possible to communicate locally with translation apps, interpreters or compatriots with longer stays.

The Federal Administrative Court’s ruling is final.

Translated from German by DeepL/jdp

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