Greece’s relevant asylum and migration minister, Thanos Plevris, on Monday evening revisited the Mitsotakis government’s more hardline stance on the issue of irregular migration and rejected asylum seekers.
Speaking to state broadcaster ERT, the specific minister, among the “hawks” in the Cabinet, said the current government has always had a “strict policy” on the matter, before quickly adding “it’s just that in 2019, we weren’t being heard.”
“Changes since then, especially with the German government completely reforming its policy (on migration), but also with the (presidential) election in the United States, there is now a different global approach to migration. Countries that invested in the idea that immigration is the panacea for all problems are now the first to have stiffened their policies and now understand what Greece has been saying for years.”
Migration & Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris.
Asked if migration can help solve Greece demographic crisis, Plevris frankly said “no”, “because the demographic crisis is not a mere problem of numbers.” The presenter asking the question didn’t specify “legal or illegal” migration.
“If we believe that the solution to the demographic problem lies in population replacement, then let’s examine the prospects for integration. Has the integration model been successful in countries such as France? Has it succeeded in Denmark? Sweden is now changing its citizenship law, as is Germany. Germany is currently leading the way in advocating for a tough immigration policy across the board. All these countries had an easy process for acquiring citizenship within three years, and now they are changing this model because they, too, understand that migration cannot be a solution to the demographic problem and that we must separate the two.”
Further in his comments, he said the Greek state currently provides asylum to 45% of applicants that request such protection. He said arrivals of undocumented foreign nationals reached roughly 60,000 in 2024, with the rate dropping by some 13% this year.
Asked about the return of Syrian nationals in the wake of the collapse of the Assad regime in that Mideast country, he said several applications were rejected over the recent days.
“The war in Syria is over. A Muslim (Syrian) may be eligible, but someone who was at risk under the Assad regime no longer has a reason to stay, as the Assad regime no longer exists. In fact, this week will see the first voluntary returns of Syrians.”
Circular debuts text to be distributed to asylum seekers
Earlier, a circular signed by Plevris and issued on Monday morning, unveiled a text that will be distributed to third country nationals who “… enter or reside illegally in the country and are held in closed controlled facilities, reception and ID centers, and controlled temporary accommodation facilities for asylum seekers … as well as to those who arrive at the asylum service to submit an application for international protection…”
The text is written in Greek, English, French, Arabic, Urdu, Punjabi and Bengali.
The text reads:
“The Ministry of Migration and Asylum of the Hellenic Republic informs you that its services will examine your asylum application in accordance with national and European legislation.
“If you are not a refugee and are not entitled to protection, then you have entered and are remaining in the country illegally, in which case
a) your application will be rejected,
b) you will be placed in administrative detention for up to 24 months, and
c) you will be committing a serious criminal offense, for which you will be convicted and serve a prison sentence of 2 to 5 years.
The only way to avoid these adverse consequences is to leave Greece voluntarily and return to your home country. And the best time to decide this is now, before submitting your asylum application.
If you commit violent acts or exhibit violent behavior within the facilities where you are staying, your asylum application will be rejected immediately, as you will be considered a threat to public order and security in Greece.”
