The Minister of Immigration and Asylum announced the filing of a bill that will criminalize the stay in the country of illegal immigrants. “Those who remain in the country while the asylum request has been rejected will be in prison. The road from now on illegal immigrants will be a prison or exit. You are disturbed by the term illegal immigration. Refugees will receive asylum. Today, 52% will be asylum.”
“We have to say things exactly as it is,” he initially said to describe the situation in the last days in the area of Crete. “What is done by North Africa and Libya is an immigrant invading operation. In 2024 we had 4,000 arrivals from these areas. In the 7 months of 20-25 we already have 8,000 arrivals. Only in the last few days are boats with 1,000 people. It is attempted.
Mr Plevris informed the national delegation that only 3 million immigrants are looking for a way to reach Europe.
In response to the left -wing parties who called for the withdrawal of the amendment for humanitarian reasons, he said: “Your pseudo -humanism is given to the supposed NGOs of millions of euros. They are milking the EU funds and at the same time accuses the port officials.
Mr Plevris supported the legal integrity of the regulation explaining that he was following the framework of the arrangement established in 2020 when there was a hybrid threat at the Evros border. The minister recalled that that provision had received the green light of the European Commission and the competent courts.
“We have informed the European Commission for the amendment. We followed the instructions by introducing a geographical and time frame,” he said.
At the same time, he responded to PASOK President Nikos Androulakis who argued that the arrangement was unnecessary as the majority of Libya immigrants do not meet the conditions of asylum.
“If we were following what you are telling us Mr. Androulakis we could deal with these increased flows after 8 months. The amendment makes asylum suspension directly which means that the one who enters is captured and returned at the first opportunity. It is a deterrent.