Greece passes ‘Legal Migration’ bill amid opposition concerns
Greece’s parliament on Thursday passed a “legal migration” bill with support from the ruling New Democracy party, while all opposition parties voted against it.
The legislation stipulates that migrants who entered the country illegally cannot acquire legal status. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said those in the country illegally will remain subject to arrest, detention and repatriation. The bill also establishes legal pathways for migrant workers to enter Greece for specific projects, making legal entry the only route to employment.
Several individual provisions received some support from opposition lawmakers, despite their overall opposition to the bill.
The Greek Ombudsman expressed concern that the law could contravene international refugee conventions and criticized proposed penalties for NGOs assisting migrants, calling them “disproportionately harsh.”
Separately, a Coast Guard patrol between Chios and Oinousses this week rescued 24 migrants, including 11 children, after an inflatable boat capsized during an attempted interception. Fourteen bodies were recovered, and a woman later died. Most survivors were Afghan; a Moroccan man was arrested as an alleged smuggler. A senior Coast Guard inspector is investigating the incident.
