By Enver Robelli
Whoever stays illegally in Greece may face up to five years in prison. Even pre-deportation detention will be extended. A minister with an extremist far-right past is expected to carry out these plans.
The problem has long been known, but the solution is anything but simple. According to data from the European Commission, 80 percent of rejected asylum seekers in the Schengen Area cannot be deported to their countries of origin. Switzerland is an exception—it boasts the highest deportation rate in Europe, with a quota of around 60 percent.
The main reason for failed deportations lies in the fact that many countries refuse to accept back their nationals. The EU has declared this issue a top priority and aims to implement uniform rules for all Schengen states.
Currently, discussions are underway about various models—such as return centers in third countries or mutual recognition of return decisions. This means that if an asylum seeker is rejected in one Schengen country and later travels to another, the latter can deport them based on the initial decision.
While Brussels searches for a way to fix the flaws in Europe’s asylum system, time is ticking. Greece is no longer willing to wait. The conservative government in Athens has recently announced a visible hardening of its migration laws. “Anyone entering our country illegally or remaining here after their asylum application is rejected must expect tougher penalties,” declared Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during a cabinet meeting.
A new law, expected to take effect this summer, foresees drastic measures. Anyone staying illegally in the country could face up to five years in prison. Pre-deportation detention will be extended from 18 to 24 months. Those who were previously eligible to apply for a residence permit after seven years without legal status will lose that right entirely.
Moreover, a program that had allowed up to 40,000 undocumented migrants to regularize their status after three years was halted in March. According to Greek Migration Minister Makis Voridis, the government aims to eliminate the “distorted incentives” of irregular migration. The draft law also proposes reducing the appeal window for rejected asylum seekers from 25 to 14 days. During this period, they will be monitored via an electronic ankle bracelet.
Criticism of the proposed law came quickly. Left-leaning Greek media accused the government of shaping its migration policy after former U.S. President Donald Trump. The weekly Documento described the law as an attempt to win over far-right voters. The outlet News247 questioned whether the plans were even feasible, pointing out that Greek prisons have space for only 12,000 inmates—yet are already overcrowded.
Particular concern among human rights activists has been sparked by the appointment of Makis Voridis as migration minister. He took office in mid-March, when Prime Minister Mitsotakis reshuffled his cabinet in response to falling poll numbers and the rising popularity of far-right parties.
The 60-year-old Voridis is seen as a hardliner with an openly extremist past. As a student, he allegedly chased left-wing students through central Athens wielding an axe, as a photo from that period suggests. Later, he founded the far-right Hellenic Front party and maintained ties with Jean-Marie Le Pen, the godfather of European right-wing populism.
In 2011, while a member of yet another ultranationalist party, Voridis was appointed Minister of Infrastructure. He soon joined the conservative New Democracy party—now led by Mitsotakis—where he continues to reinforce the party’s far-right flank.
Today, Voridis seeks to rebrand himself as the “Deportation Minister”—even though Greece is in dire need of foreign workers in tourism, agriculture, healthcare, and construction. Just a year ago, the government officially introduced a six-day workweek. Recently, the daily Kathimerini reported that 80,000 workers are currently missing in hospitality and gastronomy alone.
To address labor shortages, the government has signed so-called “mobility agreements” with countries including India, Egypt, Vietnam, Bangladesh, Moldova, and Georgia. Workers from these nations will receive three-year residence permits to work in Greece.
Between 2009 and 2019, during the financial crisis, about half a million people left Greece, mostly for jobs in other EU states. Meanwhile, birth rates are plummeting—even as the Greek economy has been growing for several years now.
Nevertheless, Migration Minister Voridis remains committed to his hardline stance. The Greek government also plans to complete a border wall over 100 kilometers long along the frontier with Turkey by next year, aiming to stop further refugee crossings.