States and Migration: The Human Movement Podcast

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 https://www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-30/ [https://www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-30/]. In Cyprus today, migrant workers—many undocumented—form the backbone of its agricultural economy. In this conversation, Emmanuel Comte speaks with Christos Papapetrou, General Secretary of the Pancyprian Farmers’ Union, about how irregular migration, EU border controls, and local labor shortages intersect in the fields and villages of the island. From smuggling routes across the buffer zone to migrants attracted by welfare benefits, the episode exposes how Cyprus’ agriculture increasingly depends on migrant labor. A vital listen on how immigration is reshaping the rural Mediterranean. This interview was arranged and edited by Andriana Lagoudes. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-29/. As irregular arrivals test Europe’s southern border, Italy has stepped into a central role in shaping the EU’s migration policy. In this interview, Emmanuel Comte speaks with Maurizio Canfora, Italy’s Vice Minister Plenipotentiary and Director General for European Integration. Canfora offers an insider’s look at how Italy influences the EU Migration Pact, manages partnerships with Tunisia and Libya, and navigates border diplomacy amid rising geopolitical tension. Listeners will gain insight into Italy’s complex balancing act: safeguarding the Schengen zone, supplying its labor market, and curbing irregular migration through strategic cooperation. We explore Italy’s evolving stance on Frontex, the legal limits of maritime border control, and the country’s high-stakes engagement with France, Germany, and the European Commission. For anyone following Mediterranean migration, EU external relations, or the future of free movement in Europe, this episode is essential listening. This interview was arranged by Lisa Sottanelli and edited by Andriana Lagoudes ‪‪@andrianalagoudes‬ [https://www.youtube.com/@andrianalagoudes]. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-28/. Why does the Balkan Route remain a strategic corridor for migrants entering the EU? In this interview, Emmanuel Comte speaks with Donatella Bradić, Senior Program Coordinator at IOM, who reflects on three decades managing migration in the Western Balkans. From the Yugoslav wars to digital smuggling networks and EU border reforms, this episode explores the evolution of the route, the role of the IOM, and the future of EU migration governance. Topics include regional diplomacy, unaccompanied minors, biometric registration, externalization of asylum, and the rise of labor migration in the Balkans.This interview was arranged by Lisa Sottanelli and edited by Andriana Lagoudes. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 https://www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-27/.What happens when nearly a million refugees arrive in a city in just eight months? In this interview, Emmanuel Comte speaks with Georgios Kaminis, Athens' mayor during the peak of the 2015 refugee crisis, as he recounts the pressure on housing, public services, and social cohesion. Kaminis shares how he managed an urban humanitarian emergency, from launching Greece’s first refugee camp to coordinating with over 70 NGOs. This episode offers unique insight into European asylum and migration policy, urban migration governance, and leading a city in a crisis.This interview was arranged by Xenia Saratsioti and edited by Andriana Lagoudes. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.

Get the enhanced episode transcript here 👉🏻 https://www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-26/ [https://www.emmanuel-comte.eu/product/enhanced-transcript-26/]. In this interview, Emmanuel Comte sits down with Christos Giannakakis, Vice-President of the New Hellenic Confederation of Agricultural Cooperatives (ETHEAS), to discuss the untold story of who keeps Greek agriculture alive. With over 90% of fruit and vegetable harvesting now dependent on foreign labor, this conversation dives into the pressing reality of migrant workers—many undocumented—who underpin the country’s food system. As Greek farmers grapple with labor shortages, Emmanuel and Christos explore how slow bureaucracies, restrictive immigration policies, and rising wages are reshaping the agricultural landscape. From the decline of Albanian labor to the unrealized promise of bilateral deals with Egypt, this episode reveals why Greece—and much of Europe—can no longer ignore the role of immigrant farmworkers. This is essential listening for anyone interested in food security, labor migration, rural economies, and the future of European agriculture. This interview was arranged by Xenia Saratsioti and edited by Andriana Lagoudes. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Grant Agreement No 101034403.