Council of Europe concerned about Greece’s deportation bill

The European Council urged the Greek Parliament to bring its draft bill which will make deportation of migrants easier into conformity with human rights.

“The draft bill on deportations and returns raises serious concerns,” said Dunja Mijatovic, Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights in a letter to the Greek Parliament.

The Greek Minister of Immigration will submit the draft bill to parliament this Friday to facilitate deportations.

The bill grants authorization to the police to deport irregular migrants more quickly if they do not apply for asylum or if their asylum request is denied.

Greece has been one of the gateways for refugees to Europe since 2015. There has been a decrease in the refugee influx in the last two years.

The Greek government cites protecting its borders as a justification for the bill as a new wave of refugees from Afghanistan is looming.

“Greece will not accept to be the gateway to Europe in an illegal refugee influx, as it did between 2015-2019,” Minister of Immigration Notis Mitarachi said while promoting the bill earlier this week.

The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Mijatovic also requested the withdrawal of Article 40 of the draft bill which “imposes restrictions on the activities of civil society and bring them under the Greek coast guard jurisdiction”.

Commissioner Mijatovic stated that this bill will seriously affect the rescue efforts of non-governmental organizations at sea.

The draft bill introduces heavy fines and sanctions for non-governmental organizations that do not ask permission from the authorities and coast guard units to carry out their work.