The background to the research
MRB-Hellas conducted the poll called «Trends in Economic Groups – migrants in the greater capital area» in June 2002. It conducted 491 in-person interviews with migrants aged 18 and over who live in Athens, have applied for a temporary residence card and speak Greek (at least well enough to converse with the researchers). Percentages in terms of gender and country of origin reflect those in the area of Attica. There was a high level of refusal to participate in the poll by individuals from certain countries of origin and who were assumed to be in Greece illegally. The sample was grouped into four categories, according to respondents’ country of origin. 1. Albania (51.9 percent of the sample – Albanians represent represent 52.7 percent of the foreigners in the Attica district). 2. Countries in Eastern and Central Europe, the Balkans and the former Soviet Union (Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia, the former Yugoslavia and Moldova – 22.2 percent of the sample). 3. Asian countries (Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, India, Sri Lanka – 13.6 percent of the sample). 4. Arab and African countries (Egypt, Iraq, Syria, Nigeria and Ethiopia – 12.2 percent of the sample).