Government Plan "Athena" provides the creation of rural detention centres for irregular migrants

Policy Response DateApril 1, 2012 Country: Greece General Type: Racist discourse Racism and discrimination phenomena: Anti-migrant/xenophobia
Groups affected / Interested in: Migrants, Asylum seekers Key socio-economic/institutional areas: Policing - law enforcement, Housing, Daily life Hate speech/Racist Discourse Medium: Political Discourse

Related Policy Responses

Related Alerts

Minister of Citizen's Protection, Mr Mihalis Chryssochoides, announced the government plan "Athena" which envisages the removal of irregular immigrants from urban centres - especially the Athens-centre - and the creation of special detention centres for irregular immigrants in all administrative regions. The plan consists of 5 main axes:

  1. Construction of a detention centre for irregular immigrants in each administrative region and at least three such centres in Attica (Athens region)
  2. Control and arrest operations in areas with high concentration of immigrants and temporary detention of arrested immigrants in detention centres for irregular immigrants.
  3. Battle against counterfeit merchandise commerce. Orders have been given to destroy counterfeit goods that are seized in the streets and stores in which these are concentrated.
  4. Direct recording and sealing of appartments in which irregular immigrants live in large groups. This measure refer to appartments whose owners rent them by the hour or day to groups of irregular immigrants and that these don't meet the required rules of hygiene.
  5. Pressure at consulates and embassies for the immediate granting of passports to immigrants who express the desire to return to their home countries [1].

 

The minister of Citizen's protection submitted a relative amendment in Parliament, which passed on 10.04.2012 with 117 votes to 37 (146 deputies were absent) [2]. The amendment provides the isolation of illegal immigrants who constitute a risk to public health and their transfer to appropriate sanitary facilities. It is also planned to determine by decree the number of detention centres to be established in the administrative regions.

The announcement of the creation of the detention centres has provoked several reactions from local population in many regions. The first detention centre for irregular immigrants will function in Amygdaleza (Attiki) after the Easter period (end of April 2012) [4 & 5].

Sources:

  1. To Vima, 01.04.2012, Κωδικός «Αθηνά» για 800.000 παράνομους αλλοδαπούς (Code name "Athena" for 800.000 illegal foreigners), http://www.tovima.gr/politics/article/?aid=451320, Accessed on 12.04.2012.
  2. Skai.gr, 10.04.2012, Υπερψηφίστηκε η τροπολογία για τα κέντρα υποδοχής παράνομων μεταναστών (The amended for the reception centres for illegal immigrants was voted), http://www.skai.gr/news/politics/article/200173/uperpsifistike-i-tropologia-gia-ta-kedra-upodohis-paranomon-metanaston-/, Accessed on 12.04.2012.
  3. Kathimerini, 03.04.2012, Κατατέθηκε η τροπολογία για τους παράνομους μετανάστες (The amendment for illegal immigrants is submitted), http://portal.kathimerini.gr/4dcgi/_w_articles_kathbreak_1_03/04/2012_436117, Accessed on 12.04.2012.
  4. Ethnos, 09.04.2012, Αμυγδαλεζα. Στήνουν το πρώτο κέντρο (Amygdaleza. Set up of the first centre), http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=22768&subid=2&pubid=63641811, Accessed on 12.04.2012.
  5. Athina984, 03.04.2012, Στην Αμυγδαλέζα το πρώτο κέντρο μεταναστών (In Amygdaleza, the first detention centre for migrants), http://www.athina984.gr/node/183374, Accessed on 12.04.2012.