Spoken Promises

Overview

Greece

The land of thousands of stranded migrants and refugees. They are scattered all over the country. The government, the European Union, and the UN are trying to support them through asylum services, accommodation programs, and other initiatives.

For the majority, Greece is merely a temporary place of survival. Their ultimate destination is what they consider the "real Europe",especially Germany.

Among them are unaccompanied minors, most of whom live in shelters run by NGOs. Generally, hospitality conditions in mainland Greece are decent, while on the islands, they are extremely poor.

During the daytime, these children wander around the city of Athens,especially teenagers between the ages of 13 and 16.

For years, Athens has had an established Afghan community. To this, newly arrived Afghans are continuously being added. Among them, I discovered my "character",the one who keeps promising these youngsters a "better life".

There are a couple of well-known parks in Athens that serve as recruitment spots. It is there that our "Fisherman"lures his victims with promises of a better future. I was curious to uncover the true extent of his network.

Despite Greece's economic crisis, its medical system remains safeguarded against illegal activities. In fact, illegal organ transplantation is punishable by life imprisonment, making it extremely difficult to conduct such procedures under the radar.

And this is where the heart of the story lies.

The Afghan in Athens,the "Fisherman" has contacts with two doctors in Bulgaria, whom he refers to as his "brothers". They are most likely part of a small Afghan diaspora in Bulgaria. These two operate a legal dental clinic as a front, with the assistance of local Bulgarian doctors.

Afghan diasporas exist all over the world, but the network I discovered in Bulgaria was unexpected. Their operation takes advantage of Bulgaria's easy accessibility, as both Greece and Bulgaria are EU members, meaning border controls are minimal. Additionally, there are multiple unregulated roads connecting the two countries.

Bulgaria is Greece's only neighboring EU as well Schengen  country. Exploiting this geographical advantage, the criminal network expands its activities, benefitting from its proximity, ease of movement, and a relatively safe environment for their operations.

The "Fisherman"in Greece takes pride in his "support network" in Bulgaria, falsely portraying it as a philanthropic institution.

Research, Cinematographer
Chronis Pechlivanidis