Greece drafts tougher law for rejected asylum seekers

28/5/2025 20:46

Greece has prepared legislation that will introduce tougher penalties for rejected asylum seekers and speed up returns to their home countries, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday.



The Mediterranean nation was on the frontline of a 2015-2016 migration crisis when more than a million people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East and Africa crossed into Europe.



The surge in arrivals triggered calls for countries on Europe's southern frontier like Greece and Italy to shore up their borders.



The numbers have since fallen. But migration remains a politically charged issue in Greece, and Mitsotakis has pledged to toughen his stance.



"Penalties will be heavier for those who enter the country illegally or stay in our country, if their asylum application is being rejected," Mitsotakis told a cabinet meeting on Wednesday, which discussed a new draft law on illegal migration.



Mitsotakis said the bill will also aim to speed up returns through a "more effective and fair mechanism". The regulations will need parliamentary approval before taking effect.