Greek lawyers raise concerns over new migration bill
A delegation representing Greek bar associations met on Tuesday with Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris and Deputy Minister Sevi Voloudaki to discuss the government’s new, stricter migration bill.
In a statement, the Plenary of the Presidents of Greek Bar Associations expressed “strong concern” over the proposed three-month suspension of asylum application reviews for individuals from North Africa, stressing potential violations of international treaties ratified by Greece.
Lawyers also raised objections to the abolition of exemptions for residence permits granted under extraordinary circumstances. They highlighted the difficulties faced by third-country nationals who are denied asylum but have established ties in Greece, as well as the precarious status of underage migrant children who were not born in Greece and remain without residence permits.
Additional issues brought forward included the limited time provided to migrants to exercise legal rights, the introduction of artificial intelligence in the asylum interview process, and the lack of official minutes and reports documenting individual cases.
The Plenary announced that it will submit detailed, article-by-article comments on the draft legislation to the ministry.
The bill, titled “Reform of Framework and Procedures of Returns of Third-Country Citizens; Other Regulations of the Migration & Asylum Ministry”, was open for public consultation from July 17 to August 4.
