Research Institute for European and American Studies
Newsletter on Immigration to Greece
Editor: Ioannis Kolovos
Greek island on frontline of Europe's migration war
BBC’s Mark Lowen reports from Lesvos island in the Aegean.
The story can be read in full here (in English)
The new Immigration Bill: a comment
Ioannis Kolovos publicized in the weekly “Epikaira” magazine a lengthy article commenting on the new Immigration Bill.
The article can be read in full here (in Greek only)
Minister of Public Order predicted that the issue of illegal immigration may worsen in the years to come
Minister of Public Order Mr Nikos Dendias updated the relevant Parliamentary Committee on the issue of illegal immigration and predicted that it may well deteriorate in the coming years and “could derail the country’s and society’s capacity for economic growth”.
Relevant news-reports (Ta Nea online, 6/11/2013) can be read here (in Greek only):
and here (Ethnos online, 6/11/2013)
Have thousands of sham residence permits been issued by the Mayoralty of Athens Foreigners’ department?
An anonymous letter was sent to the Minister of Interior Mr Yiannis Michelakis and claimed that there was a ring operating in the Foreigners’ department of the Mayoralty of Athens issuing thousands of sham residence permits to immigrants. The Minister of Interior referred the case to the Inspector General of Public Administration Mr Leandros Rakintzis for further investigation into the allegations.
A relevant news-report (Ethnos, 8/11/2013) can be read here (in Greek only)
Another ring of sham marriages discovered
According to the Ministry of Interior a ring was operating at the West Achaia Municipality in the Peloponnese, arranging sham marriages in order for foreigners to obtain residence permits.
A relevant news-report (Ethnos, 21/11/2013) can be read here (in Greek only)
Surveillance ofthe Greek-Albanian border to be enhanced
The Minister of Public Order Mr Nikos Dendias admitted that the Greek-Albanian border is not adequately guarded and that this has resulted in imported criminality and in many other problems. Mr Dendias revealed that the Ministry is preparing a study on an integrated CCTV border management system which will be applied in the area.
The relevant Ministry of Public Order press release can be read in full here (in Greek only):
More than 6 out of 10 foreigners living in Greece are at risk of poverty
According to a study conducted by the National Statistics Authority 62.7% of foreigners between the ages of 18 to 64 years’ old living in Greece are at risk of poverty compared to 36% of Greeks. The figure rises to 66.6% for foreigners originating from non EU-27 countries.
The relevant press release can be read in full here (in Greek only)
