Those who have asylum claims rejected and do not leave within 14 days will face prison terms of two to five years
Greece has passed draconian legislation that could mean rejected asylum seekers receiving prison terms, fines and orders to wear ankle tags, in a move that reflects the centre-right government’s continued attempts to deter undocumented migrants from arriving on its soil.
The tough penalties usher in an unprecedented era of zero tolerance for people who remain in the country if their asylum claims are denied. As a frontier state, long viewed as a gateway to Europe, Greece has had a surge in migrant arrivals this year.
“We are accountable to Greek citizens, and Greek citizens want to be protected,” the migration minister, Thanos Plevris, told MPs ahead of voting. “The message is clear [for migrants]: if your asylum request is rejected, you have two choices. Either you go to jail or return to your homeland. The Greek state does not accept you … You are not welcome.”
An unabashed rightwinger whose stance has caused ripples among the more moderate members of Greece’s centre-right government, Plevris insisted asylum would continue to be granted to applicants who fulfilled the need for international protection.
