Protesters rally in Athens against controversial migration bill
Dozens of citizens gathered in Syntagma Square on Monday evening to protest a controversial new bill proposed by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris. The legislation, currently under public consultation, criminalizes residing on Greek territory without legal documentation—marking a first in the country's legislative history.
Organized by parties of the extraparliamentary left and various grassroots movements, the demonstration drew participation from the Antifascist Coordination of Athens-Piraeus, the Social Support Network for Refugees and Migrants, the Union of Palestinian Workers, the Deport Racism Movement (KAR), KEDDA (Movement for Freedoms, Democratic Rights, and Solidarity), the Sunday School for Migrants, the Albanian Migrants and Solidarity Initiative.
According to efsyn, protesters chanted slogans such as “Wars and imperialist bombs create waves of migration,” “Syrian migrants are like Greeks once were in Germany,” and “Greek and foreign workers, united.” The rally was marked by the prominent display of Palestinian flags.
KEDDA condemned the bill as both a continuation and intensification of Europe’s increasingly fortress-like migration policies. The group criticized the Greek government and EU for employing military forces and barriers to block refugees fleeing war, persecution, and poverty. Particular concern was raised over Article 79 of Law 5218/11.7.2025, which suspends asylum applications for new arrivals from North Africa for three months—automatically placing them in pre-removal detention centers and fast-tracking deportations to countries such as Libya, Sudan, and Egypt.
The leftist coalition ANTARSYA also issued a statement, accusing the government of criminalizing asylum-seeking itself by labeling all unauthorized border crossings as illegal. The group warned that the bill targets both new arrivals and long-settled undocumented migrants, imposing harsh prison sentences, heavy fines, and expedited deportations with no appeal rights.
“This bill violates fundamental human rights and international conventions under the pretense of ‘national security,’” ANTARSYA said, calling for its immediate withdrawal.
