Greece drafts new legislation to speed up migrant deportations

Greece has drafted a new legislation bill aimed at tightening up returns of migrants whose asylum applications are rejected. The bill was presented to the cabinet by Greece’s Migration Policy Ministry and a decision is expected in July.  

According to the Greek “Kathimerini” newspaper, the proposed bill will boost the deportation of those migrants that are not entitled to international protection and are obliged to leave Greece without the need for the consent of the country of origin or transit country. 

Greece also says the bill will ease overcrowding in migrant camps on the islands.

TMP _ 8/7/2021

Photo credit: Huseyin Aldemir

Photo caption: Migrants rest as they gather at Turkey’s Pazarkule border crossing with Greece’s Kastanies, in Edirne, Turkey, February 29, 2020.