Greece split over immigration

 
January

The Council of State - Greece's highest administrative court - began reviewing whether the government has the right to prohibit non-European Union nationals from selling goods at open-air markets in Athens. The development ministry in August 2005 barred them from applying to renew their permits. Critics of the ministerial decision said it is in violation of an anti-discrimination clause in the Greek constitution and the new anti-discrimination legislation approved by the parliament last year.

Greece finally began to issue citizenship to ethnic Greeks from neighbouring Albania, under rules announced by the government in November 2006. But few have been granted Greek citizenship so far. Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos (photo) defended the "slow start" by stressing that the government wants to grant citizenship only to those "who deserve it". He said: "No one knows how long it will take, but after waiting so long what's another year, year and a half?" As many as a quarter of a million ethnic Greeks from Albania are believed to be currently living in Greece. Known as Northern Epirotes, or Voreioipeirotes, they are the children and descendants of Greek citizens from southern Albania. For nearly two decades, however, they had been routinely denied Greek citizenship and subsequently deprived of a broad range of civil and political rights.

Tensions mounted in parliament between ruling New Democracy and main opposition lawmakers over whether local immigrant community leaders should speak at a special hearing before they sit down to debate draft legislation to grant non-European Union nationals residing in Greece the right to vote in municipal elections. The motion to invite immigrants to parliament was put forward by Pasok MPs Evangelos Venizelos and Nikolaos Salagiannis on January 17. It was supported by Coalition of the Left (Synaspismos) and Communist Party. The motion, however, was overruled by New Democracy MPs, who hold the most seats in the parliamentary committee assigned to review the draft law.

Opposition lawmakers criticised Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos for ignoring a warning from the government's policy advisory council that new draft legislation will do little to legalise the status of undocumented migrants in Greece. Not a single recommendation of the Economic and Social Council (OKE). In response, Pavlopoulos stressed how irresponsible it would be to launch a blanket amnesty of all undocumented migrants - something he said would make the country a gateway for illegal migrants. OKE, whose job is to review all draft legislation, warned the government that too few undocumented migrants will be able to fulfil the application requirements for a residence permit.

February

Athens Mayor Nikitas Kaklamanis (photo) thrust himself into the national immigration debate, touting a new city-wide plan to integrate tens of thousands of immigrants. Immigrants currently make up 17 percent of Athens' population. Kaklamanis, a former New Democracy health minister, laid out a four-year plan to integrate immigrants. The new measures include Greek-language lessons for immigrant women whose children are enrolled at municipal child daycare centres and a special programme of neighbourhood celebrations aimed at promoting friendly relations between Greek and immigrant neighbours.

Parliament rejected a bill tabled by main opposition Pasok that would grant all non-European Union nationals residing in Greece for at least five years the right to vote in municipal elections. The draft legislation was dismissed by the ruling New Democracy party, which holds the majority of the seats in the parliament.

Interior Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos announced a new round of legalisation for undocumented migrant workers in Greece. Legis