The Greek government has introduced a new, stricter framework for verifying the age of asylum seekers who claim to be minors, a process that will include medical exams and hand X-rays, with those who refuse the test being presumed to be adults, officials announced.
The new policy was established in a joint ministerial decision signed by Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, and Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis.
Under the new rules, if authorities doubt an individual’s claim of being a minor, they will be referred for a three-part assessment: a medical exam, a psychosocial evaluation, and an X-ray of the left hand to determine bone age.
The X-ray result will be the deciding factor in cases of conflicting results.
“From now on, anyone falsely declaring minority will face consequences, and those refusing the check will be presumed adults and placed in adult facilities,” Mr. Plevris said.
Mr. Georgiadis added that the goal is to create a "fairer and more efficient reception system."