Administration & Contact

The Directorate of Social Integration, as established by article 23 of the Presidential Decree 106/2020, is coordinated by the General Directorate of Migration Policy and is responsible for planning and monitoring the implementation of social integration policies and national integration strategies for third-country nationals who legally reside in Greece. It also oversees other corresponding individual policies and social inclusion programs, collaborating with other Ministries, local authorities, international organizations and civil society actors.

Athanasios Vitsentzatos has been the Head of the Directorate of Social Integration since December 2017.

The Departments of the Directorate of Social Integration

Policy and Program Planning Dept.

The Department of Policy and Program Planning has the following responsibilities:

Submit proposals for legislations and regulatory acts pertaining to the national strategy for social integration.
Submit proposals, technical data sheets and verifying acts when required, for the participation, monitoring and implementation of European and international programs on social integration.
Monitor, oversee and provide directions for social integration programs and projects that are implemented by municipalities.
Help prepare third-country nationals to act as representatives in European and international organizations for social integration.
Develop effective relationships with corresponding departments and bodies for social integration in other States.
Participate in the creation of educational programs for social integration (of the National Center of Public Administration or other bodies).
Create a national program for social integration that entails the implementation of long-term monetary plans.
Identify the needs of third-country nationals and submit proposals for the formation of social integration policies and programs for them.

Supervisor: Eleni Siopi

E-mail: dpt.sippp@migration.gov.gr

Intercultural Mediation Dept.

The Intercultural Mediation Department has the following responsibilities:

Plan, monitor, coordinate and implement information and public awareness campaigns on immigration, integration, racism and xenophobia and diversity.
Plan, monitor and implement projects to educate public service and local government employees on intercultural, migration and integration issues.
Plan, monitor and implement projects that relate to intercultural mediation in public services, other services, as well as schools of all educational levels.
Set standards and procedures for the certification and training of intercultural mediators.
Define procedures and specifications for the creation and operation of a national Register of certified intercultural mediators
Plan, promote and monitor non-formal education programs and activities, such as Greek language courses.
Plan and monitor of inter-religious dialogue programs.
Cooperate with Ministries, local authorities, international organizations and civil society, for the planning and monitoring of the operation of integration structures, such as the Migrant Integration Centers (KEM).

Supervisor: Fani Keramida

E-mail: dpt.ic@migration.gov.gr

Socio-Economic Integration Dept.

The Socio-Economic Integration Department has the following responsibilities:

Plan and implement projects that relate to: (i) facilitating access to the labor market and vocational training of legally residing third-country nationals; (ii) profiling the educational background, work experience and professional profile of legally residing third-country nationals based on European or international profiling tools, (iii) the health of legally residing third-country nationals and their full access to the health and social security system; and iv) the rights and obligations of legally residing third-country nationals as defined in the existing legislation.
The registration of the existing immigrant communities and associations that fall under the competence of the Ministry, as well as the determination of the procedures and specifications for the creation and operation of a respective national Register.
Inform and engage in dialogue with immigrant associations and communities to promote actions and measures for their participation in public and collective projects and programs.
Plan and implement actions in cooperation with the local government administration and migrant communities and associations in order to support and coordinate the Migrant and Refugee Integration Councils (S.E.M.P.),
Plan and implement integration projects to help prepare legally residing third-country nationals for Greek citizenship status, in cooperation with the competent Ministries and bodies.
Design and monitor performance indicators for social integration policies and process immigration policy data.

Head of Department: Ioanna Glykou

Email: dpt.sei@migration.gov.gr

Beneficiaries of International Protection Dept.

The Beneficiaries of International Protection Department has the following responsibilities:

Plan, monitor and implement early integration programs for beneficiaries of international protection during their stay in the accommodation structures of the official reception system.
Implement programs that relate to the accommodation of beneficiaries of international protection and collect, process and evaluate data and information.
Provide care for vulnerable groups of beneficiaries of international protection in relation to accommodation issues and plan targeted integration interventions.
Plan non-formal education programs for minors who are beneficiaries of international protection.
Submit proposals for the creation, the implementation and the monitoring of a distribution mechanism of the refugee population in the Greek territory, with a corresponding system of electronic mapping, in cooperation with the other organizational units of the Ministry.
Disseminate information on effectiveness.
Inform on issues that relate to the accommodation of beneficiaries of international protection and refer requests for accommodation.

Supervisor: Irene Dzoydou

Email: dpt.ipbs@migration.gov.gr

The Head of the Directorate of Social Integration

Dr. Athanasios Vitsentzatos

Dr. Vitsentzatos is the Director of Social Integration in the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. Previously, he acted as Head of the Legal Support and International Cooperation Unit of Asylum Seekers Protection. He worked for more than 15 years in the Migration Policy Unit of the Directorate of Migration Policy where he specialized in the implementation of the European’s Union Directives on legal immigration issues into Greek Law. He served as the Greek National Contact Point for the European Migration Network (EMN). He has also been part of the Legislation Unit of the Directorate of Migration Policy, advising on programs, such as the residence permits program for investors in Greece (“Golden Visa Program”).

In his PhD thesis, Dr. Vitsentzatos examined the impact of the Greek political-administrative system on the formation of EU immigration policy. He studied Political Science at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens and holds a Masters’ degree (MSc) in Political Science and Public Administration. He also graduated from the National School of Public Administration– Department of Local Government.