Process of Legalization of Migrants

Dear Minister,

In view of the submission to Parliament of the Draft Law on “Upgrading Civil Protection and Other Provisions,” which concerns regulations and amendments to Law 2910/2001, and in my capacity as a regular member of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice and Home Affairs of the European Parliament, I would like to congratulate you on your initiatives and at the same time bring the following thoughts to your attention:

The adoption of Law 2910/2001 was a very important step in the effort to harmonize Greek legislation with the European reality. Despite some specific problems, the first phase of the legalization process for migrants proceeded smoothly, and the local municipalities responsible for its implementation appeared to cope well.

Today, as we enter the second phase of the legalization process, the problems that arise are more pronounced. Specifically, following verbal complaints from migrants and Greek citizens, media reports, and our collaboration with the Ombudsman, my office initially made contact and then visited the Labor Directorate of the Athens Prefecture, where it was found that both the conditions for assisting migrants and the working conditions of employees were particularly degraded. In short, the conditions as they had been established led the “second phase” of migrant legalization to a deadlock.

I believe you are aware of the real dimensions of the problem, both from your meetings with migrant organizations and from the report of the Ombudsman, which details the inadequacies of the facilities, the lack of staff, coordination, and cooperation among the entities involved in the legalization process, as well as the weaknesses of the administration.

I believe that after ten years of the presence of migrants in Greece, we should not just talk about their legalization, but about their social integration and inclusion. I focus my attention specifically on the second generation of migrants, who have no other social reference or role models apart from the Greek ones. If the state does not take timely measures for their integration by granting them political and civil rights, the future does not bode well. What is certain is that these groups will become ghettos, with the well-known consequences for Greek society.

I believe that closer cooperation with migrant organizations, as well as the adoption of the proposals from the Ombudsman, as outlined in the relevant report, would positively impact the implementation of the law.

Hoping for your positive response to the resolution of the aforementioned issues, I wish you success in your work and a Happy New Year.

With appreciation,

Anna KARAMANOU