General Secretariat for Reception of Asylum Seekers

The General Secretariat for the Reception of Asylum Seekers was established by the first article of the Presidential Decree 18/2020 (ΦΕΚ 34/Α/19-2-2020) and reports directly to the Minister of Migration and Asylum. The General Secretariat has the following main responsibilities:

It drafts and submits to the Minister of Migration & Asylum the Action Plans of the General Secretariat.
It supervises the implementation of strategic goals that relate to the operation of the Reception and Identification Service, such as procedures of reception, identification and accommodation for third-country nationals who are applicants of international protection in Greece.
It initiates and develops meaningful collaborations to further develop the planning, monitoring and implementation of reception procedures for asylum seekers.

The mission of the General Secretariat for the Reception of Asylum Seekers is to establish humane and respectful reception conditions that abide with international laws for third-country nationals in Greece. Its role also is to seek and provide the necessary material means that enable the implementation of its mission.

The General Secretariat for the Reception of Asylum Seekers acts in collaboration with the Ministry, the Government and the leadership team of R.I.S., and undertakes initiatives to reform and improve the national reception system for asylum seekers. It also initiates collaborations with competent services and stakeholders and seeks funding for innovative projects in key areas of interest.

Dimitrios Iatridis has been the General Secretary since July 2023.

Dimitrios Iatridis

Born in 1972, Mr. Iatrides has extensive management and advisory experience in both the private and the public sector.

He started his professional career in banking. Moreover, he served in the Organizing Committee for the Athens Olympic Games, first as Sports Finance Manager and later as Venue Director. Furthermore, he held the positions of Scientific Adviser in the Greek Public Broadcasting Corporation and in the Hellenic Parliament.

He was also Executive Director of the Hellenic Ports Association and Special Adviser to the Minister of Health, the Minister of Defense and the Minister of Foreign Affairs with various portfolios and international assignments.

Furthermore, Mr. Iatrides served in the Greek Government in the capacity of Secretary Special for European Resources and Infrastructure of the Ministry of Rural Development and Food with significant results.

In terms of education, Mr. Iatrides studied Economics and International Relations at Brown University in the United States and Law at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, United Kingdom.

He gained a Masters in Applied Economics and Finance, and, later, an MBA at the Athens University of Economics and Business. He earned a Doctorate in Business Administration at the University of Patras. He also completed the Harvard University JFK School of Government program ‘Public Leaders in Southeast Europe’.

He is a lawyer, member of the Athens Bar Association and economist, member of the Economic Chamber of Greece.