Hardline Asylum Policies Enacted by Greece to Discourage Immigration Inflow
Greece has recently enacted new immigration legislation, marking a significant policy shift by the conservative government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. This move comes in response to a recent rise in arrivals at Greece's southern islands and an uptick in migrants from North Africa via the islands of Crete and Gavdos.
The new law hardens Greece's approach to asylum seekers whose applications are rejected. It introduces prolonged detention and hefty fines for those entering the country illegally. Undocumented migrants who enter from a country the European Union deems safe and are found ineligible for asylum will be given a choice: return home voluntarily or face mandatory detention for up to 24 months and a fine that could reach 10,000 euros.
The legislation has been met with fierce criticism from human rights organizations. Pro Asyl and groups like #stopdublingreece have criticised the recently introduced Greek immigration policies, highlighting severe human rights violations, including illegal pushbacks to Turkey, collective expulsions, and inadequate asylum procedures. They argue that Greece has become an unsafe country for refugees.
These criticisms are not new. Human rights organizations have long accused Greek authorities of conducting illegal pushbacks on both sea and land frontiers. Earlier this year, the EU border agency, Frontex, confirmed it was reviewing a dozen potential cases of human rights violations involving Greek forces.
Despite the criticism, the Greek government reports that its tougher stance is yielding results. Hundreds of illegal migrants have been returned since the suspension of asylum requests in July. The government has also expanded border fencing along the northern frontier and bolstered maritime patrols in the Aegean Sea.
Immigrant flows have decreased overall since Greece was the epicenter of Europeβs migration crisis nearly a decade ago. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris defended the governmentβs position in parliament, stating that the rights of Greeks outweigh the rights of rejected asylum seekers staying in Greece illegally.
The policy shift continues to draw fierce criticism from human rights organizations, who call for a more humane approach to migration and asylum seekers in Greece. However, the government maintains that its actions are necessary to ensure the safety and security of its citizens.
