[ALBSA-Info] Press: Kathimerini, 7/11/2000

[Agron Alibali]

Kathimerini
A harsher migrant bill
Articles on immigrants' rights dropped, draft law
offers no second chance

A new bill on immigration expected to be tabled in
Parliament during the next few days will render it
much harder for immigrants and foreign workers to
enter Greece, while allowing no second opportunity for
the estimated 500,000 illegal immigrants who live in
the country and failed to enter the tortuous
legalization process begun two years ago.
The bill was originally presented to the press last
December by Interior Minister Vasso Papandreou, but it
has since shed a number of articles intended to secure
the rights of Greece's estimated 800,000 economic
immigrants.

"Foreign nationals who are legally domiciled in Greece
are treated in a similar way to locals in matters
concerning their access to vocational training, trade
unionism and the right to form cooperatives," one of
the articles that were removed read, while another
noted: "Discrimination on grounds of racial or
national descent, nationality or religion is
forbidden."

Furthermore, the final text does not contain an
article allowing the children of immigrants or
refugees living in Greece to attend Greek state
schools even if their parents' legal status has not
been settled.

And under the revised bill, state hospitals are
obliged to notify local police authorities when they
treat illegal immigrants.

The new text makes no reference to about half a
million people - according to government figures - who
did not take advantage of two presidential decrees
that allowed illegal immigrants to acquire legal
status and be issued with green residence and work
cards.

Original proposals for a second effort to legalize
these immigrants are understood to enjoy the support
of Papandreou, as well as Public Order Minister
Michalis Chrysochoidis and Labor Minister Tassos
Yiannitsis.

The current text also sets out strict preconditions
for the legal entry and sojourn in Greece of new
immigrants, and makes it even tougher for foreign
workers to enter the country for seasonal employment.

Prospective seasonal workers will have to secure a
work permit from the prefect of the area they have
found employment in, an entry permit from the nearest
Greek consular authorities and a residence permit from
the regional governor.

Foreign nationals will also be allowed, under certain
conditions, to enter and stay in Greece for the
purpose of study, family reunion, or to work as
self-employed professionals or in nightclubs.


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