Greece will no longer offer large-scale legalization programs for migrants and plans to detain those awaiting deportation, according to Migration Minister Makis Voridis, who announced the stricter immigration policies set to be implemented this summer.
Greece, being a country on the EU’s external border, has become a major transit state for illegal migrants. The issue caused trouble for governments in foreign policy, domestic politics, and EU relations.
A Short History of Migration Cooperation
Greece struggled greatly during the 2008 financial crisis; unemployment, rising inflation, and a steep economic recession did not stop migration waves. It became a major entry point to the European Union, which meant that other member states – that became destination countries – deported migrants back to them in accordance with the Dublin Protocol. Though this practice was ruled to be wrong and in need of change, it put significant strain on an already struggling country, where tensions kept rising between migrants enduring abuse and citizens reeling from an economic crises.
During the 2015 migration crisis, Dublin transfers were suspended, alleviating the pressure of dealing with the migrants inside the country but not stopping the influx. Greek-EU relations were tense, but Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, continued to provide significant aid.
2016 saw the Dublin regulation reinstated, and the Balkan corridor closed, changing the ‘transit state’ back into a ‘host state.’
Human Rights Abuse Allegations
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) called the Greek asylum system broken back in 2011, and critical voices have only grown louder.
Human rights groups and EU institutions alike have been keeping close watch since, in 2023, a fishing boat crammed with up to 750 migrants approached the Greek coast when, according to Coast Guard Spokesperson Nikos Alexiou, people suddenly moved to one side, capsizing and sinking it.
The incident resulted in tragedy; 104 people were rescued, and 82 bodies were recovered.
Survivors initiated legal action against the Greek Coast Guard, which received notifications from Frontex, other crews passing by, and even the passengers themselves. Last week, lawyers of survivors revealed 17 coast guard officials now face investigation
Allegations emerged in the 2020s about supposed illegal summary deportations, which involved pushbacks of large migrant groups without individual identification procedures to neighbouring countries.
This year, the ECHR ruled that Greece acted illegally when they deported a woman to Turkey before she could ask for asylum. The ruling called the pushbacks systematic and began a discussion to establish the practice as illegal under EU law.
In May, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O’Flaherty issued recommendations after a visit to the country. He called for a “zero-tolerance approach to summary returns” to strengthen legality at borders and avoid human rights abuses.
Frontex Investigations
In Greece, much like in other countries across Europe, the right-wing is gaining ground as other political forces fail voters’ expectations to effectively deal with migration. Here, however, the issue is inextricably linked to EU laws and funding.
In April, Frontex launched investigations into 12 open cases of suspected human rights violations. This marks the highest number of ongoing investigations in a single member state.
Each case is related to the forced summary deportation of thousands at land and sea borders by Greek officials. The agency said it would issue recommendations to be implemented, or ramifications would ensue.
“[T]he executive director of Frontex has said that he expects all these recommendations to be implemented. Otherwise, he would consider reducing or cutting funding for co-financed assets,” said spokesperson Chris Borowski.
Frontex rarely criticizes the host countries where it operates, and according to Borowski, the agency plans to work together with Greece to address the reported violations.
New Policies
Under current legislation, migrants whose claims have been rejected receive a 6-month-long grace period to leave the country.
The new legislation, discussed during a Cabinet meeting, would introduce a minimum of two years in jail.
According to Voridis, the program that let as many as 40,000 migrants, living unlawfully in Greece for over three years, regularize their status won’t be reinstated in order to prevent fostering misleading long-term motivations.
“We can agree that someone’s economic necessity alone cannot be grounds for legal migration. If we did accept that, (Europe) should prepare to receive hundreds of millions,” Voridis told broadcaster Antenna.
Greece registered over 60,000 illegal migrants entering the country last year, a significant increase of 50% from 2023 data. The European Commission reported that 80% of deportations are not carried out in member states, with Greece’s Voridis adding that the rate is even higher in Greece.
