ΑΛΛΗΛΕΓΓΥΗ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ: ΕΞΕΛΙΞΕΙΣ ΣΤΟ ΠΕΔΙΟ ΤΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΦΥΓΙΚΗΣ ΠΡΟΣΤΑΣΙΑΣ ΚΑΙ ΠΡΟΚΛΗΣΕΙΣ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΕ ΚΑΙ ΣΤΗΝ ΕΛΛΑΔΑ

Chara Katsigianni 217 ramic dental X- rays 16 . The opinions and evaluation results are delivered to the Head of the Regional Asylum Office, who issues a relevant act to adopt their con- clusions 17 . In practice, the age assessment of unaccompanied children is an extremely chal- lenging process because of the following factors 18 : (i) the age assessment, through the above medical examinations, is being challenged today from the international scientific community, since, there is a difference between the bone and biological age, which is due, inter alia, to the race or the ethnic origin of the unaccompa- nied minor, (ii) the nature of the medical methods, is totally inappropriate and intrusive, (iii) the lack the methodological tools (certified by international bodies and the scientific community) that would help in conducting safe assessment” re- garding the age of the newcomers registered (iv) the difficulty in accessing public hospitals , (v) the long delays until the examinations will take place, minors reach adulthood; (vi) the lack of specific expertise of radiologists, pediatricians, and physicians in conducting that kind of examinations, and subsequently evaluating the findings, (vii) the lack of specialized and appropriately trained interpreters for conducting proper interviews required in the context of age assessment proce- dures. All the above, raise serious concerns, given the fact that proper identification of vulnerabilities is crucial not only to addressing them, but also to granting vulner- able persons appropriate procedural treatment. III. Lack of guardianship As provided by Greek legislation, the competent authorities shall take the appro- priate measures to ensure the minor’s necessary representation. For this purpose, they shall inform the Public Prosecutor for Minors or, in the absence thereof, the territorially competent First Instance Public Prosecutor, who shall act as a provi- sional guardian and shall take the necessary steps in view of the appointment of a guardian for the minor.” 19 However, and despite the role of the Public Prosecutor prescribed by law, in prac- tice the unaccompanied minors lack of any guardianship, given that the appoint- ment of the aforementioned is totally typical. 16. Article 6 JMD 1982/2016. 17. Article 7 JMD 1982/2016. 18. MdM, Age assessment of Unaccompanied Minors , August 2016, available in Greek at: ht- tps://mdmgreece.gr/app/uploads/2016/09/AGE-ASSESSMENT-POLICY-BRIEF_%CE%91. pdf . 19. Article 45(1) L. 4375/2016.