Greek administrative judges association opposes Government’s new asylum bill
In a written statement, the association criticized the bill, which was introduced by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum in July for public consultation. The judges warned that the legislation would harden the legal framework for deportations and punish those who remain in the country without registration.
The statement underlined that forcing rejected asylum seekers to return under such conditions violates fundamental human rights related to asylum and called for the bill to be withdrawn.
Stricter Deportation Measures
According to the proposed law:
- The deadline for rejected asylum seekers to voluntarily leave Greece would be reduced from 25 days to 14 days.
- The ban on re-entering the country would be extended from 5 years to 10 years.
- Those refusing to leave voluntarily could face three years in prison and a €10,000 fine, with no possibility of suspended sentences.
- The association made clear that it does not endorse these provisions.
Planned Protests
Meanwhile, the Movement Against Racism and the Threat of Fascism (KEERFA) announced it will hold a protest in Athens tomorrow against the draft law and Greece’s earlier decision to suspend the processing of asylum applications from North African migrants for three months.
The Ministry of Migration and Asylum had previously described the bill as a measure to “regulate the process and framework of returning third-country nationals,” noting that it was open for public debate before submission to parliament.
The draft is expected to be brought to parliament for discussion after the consultation period concludes.
