New Left slams Government over migration policy and deadly coast guard incident

In a public statement, the party referred to the February 3 maritime incident off the coast of Chios, where a collision between a Hellenic Coast Guard vessel and a boat carrying irregular migrants resulted in the deaths of 15 people.

Questions Over Coast Guard Transparency

The statement cited remarks by Maritime and Island Policy Minister Vasilis Kikilias, who acknowledged that cameras aboard the Coast Guard vessel were not operating at the time of the incident.

“This cannot be treated as a mere detail,” the New Left Party stressed, arguing that transparency is essential in cases involving loss of life.

The party also recalled that under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, states are obligated to rescue persons in distress at sea.

Reference to European Court Rulings

The opposition further noted that the European Court of Human Rights had ruled in 2022 and 2023 that Greece violated the European Convention on Human Rights in cases involving alleged pushbacks.

According to the New Left, these rulings underscore the need for Greece to align migration enforcement practices with international human rights standards.

Controversy Over Asylum Revocation

The statement also addressed the revocation of asylum status for Caved Aslam, a long-time resident of Greece and president of the Pakistani Community in Greece.

Aslam, who has lived in Greece for nearly 30 years and testified in the trial against the now-defunct far-right Golden Dawn party, reportedly had his asylum status withdrawn by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. According to media reports, the revocation was justified on the grounds that an arrest warrant previously issued against him in Pakistan had been lifted.

In an interview with Greek broadcaster Open TV, Aslam stated that he has consistently opposed racism and fascism, suggesting that the decision may have political motivations.

Migration Debate Intensifies

The New Left Party accused the government of instrumentalizing international protection status and called for a rights-based approach to migration management.

The latest developments add further strain to Greece’s already heated debate over border control, asylum policy, and compliance with European and international law, as migration remains one of the country’s most politically sensitive issues.