On October 12, Law 4735/2020 was published, amending the Greek Citizenship Code. So far, though, there have been no institutional actions, nor have the necessary Ministry Decisions been issued, concerning the implementation of the changes relating to the second-generation citizenship and naturalization. Two months after the law has entered into force, we are nowhere in terms of its implementation! As a result, we are once […]
Modern slavery is one of the most significant problems in the world not only because it affects a large segment of the global population, but also because it constitutes one of the greatest violations of human rights and destroys, literally and utterly, the lives of modern slaves. Such phenomena exist in Greece too. In sectors such as agriculture, situations resembling the case of Manolada (human […]
Since 2016, Generation 2.0 RED started officially requesting on a regular basis citizenship statistics from the Central Citizenship Directorate of the Ministry of Interior, in order to elaborate them and then present data that were not published at that time by the Ministry of Interior. The purpose was to collect and present a clear picture of the system for granting citizenship and inform people who […]
The campaign “Is it racism?“, created by Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity in collaboration with Solomon, invites us to broaden our understanding of racism in order to begin to cultivate a culture of actively doing the work to challenge the racism we encounter in our daily lives. Until now, the public debate in Greece has focused mainly on violent racist attacks, given the increase in extreme and organized acts of […]
This report is an initiative of the organization Generation 2.0 RED in the context of its systematic monitoring of the administrative implementation of the Immigration and Social Integration Code (Law 4251/2014) by Directorates of Foreigners & Immigration (DFI) of the Decentralized Administration. The aim of this report is to document and present the most important and chronic issues faced by the four DFIs up until […]
On October 12, 2020, the new law 4735/2020 of the Ministry of Interior was published in the Government Gazette, which contains among others, provisions for the amendment of the Greek Citizenship Code. The Ministry introduced this system of naturalization, expressing the need for transparency, speed and efficiency. But the final provisions actually pose serious obstacles and restrictions on the acquisition of Greek citizenship. Regarding the […]
The trial of the Golden Dawn case is going to be completed soon, after a lengthy process of almost six years, while the Court has ruled unanimously that Golden Dawn was set up and operated as a criminal organization and found guilty the majority of those accused of a number of criminal acts. The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) and its 47 member organizations welcome […]
Today, October 1, 2020, the Parliament started the elaboration of the draft law that contains, among others, provisions for the amendment of the Greek Citizenship Code. Generation 2.0 RED although was included in the proposals for the invitation of institutions and organizations, it was finally excluded from tomorrow’s session of the Standing Committee on Public Administration, Public Order and Justice. Generation 2.0 RED is the […]
The European Commission last week unveiled the long-awaited Pact on Μigration and Asylum. On a first glance we notice that once again the Commission’s proposal is inferior to the circumstances. This Pact gives economic character to solidarity, allows countries to refuse the acceptance of refugees, and leaves the countries of entry helpless to cope on their own, with the consolation of voluntary “solidarity” from their […]
Respect for Human Rights should Prevail over Use of Force Following the fire in Moria on Tuesday September 8, on Lesvos, which destroyed the Reception and Identification Centre, 48 civil society organizations call on the Greek Government to immediately provide assistance to people who lost their shelter. Those affected, among them many children and at-risk groups, must be carefully transferred to safety on the mainland. […]
In the context of the public consultation on the draft law “Amendment of the Greek Citizenship Code, new framework for the selection of executives in the public sector, organizational provisions of the Ministry of Interior and provisions for the development perspective of local authorities” of the Ministry of Interior, which started on 27 August 2020 and is completed today, on 10 September 2020, Generation 2.0 […]
In 2017, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) condemned our country for failing to protect land workers from forced labor and human trafficking. The incident that led Greece to the ECHR happened in 2013, in the area of Nea Manolada, when land workers from Bangladesh, who demanded the wages of months that had not been paid by the employers, were shot by the farm […]
On July 16, 2020, Generation 2.0 RED had the pleasure of welcoming law students and recent law graduates of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, for an online seminar on everyday and institutional racism in Greece. The seminar was part of a series of three seminars on Law and Racism for law students with the aim of educating and raising awareness on legal and […]
The electronic platform (e-appointment) for third country nationals of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum now has the option to schedule an appointment for the renewal of a residence permit as well as the issuance of a residence permit for minors. Until recently, the platform only had the option of booking an appointment to collect a residence permit at the Immigration Services of the Decentralized […]
This report is an initiative of Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity (Generation 2.0 RED) which resulted from the meetings and the telephone contact with the heads of the Citizenship Directorates of the Ministry of Interior in the region of Attica, from November 2019 to July 2020, to present the most important chronic issues they face. The aim of this report is to inform […]
On the occasion of the recent publication of the document of the Secretary General of Citizenship (S.G.), Athanasios Balerbas regarding the non-recognition of the extension of residence permits in naturalization and second generation citizenship procedures, Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality and Diversity had a meeting with him on Tuesday 07 July 2020. Our purpose was to receive clarifications on the above issue but also to […]
copyright Alexandros Avramidis Athens, 14 July 2020 – Four Civil Society Organisations operating in the field of migration in Greece, published today a policy brief with recommendations addressed to national authorities about the best use of EU funds for the integration of asylum seekers, refugees and migrants in the country. Despite availability of funds, efforts to integrate refugees and migrants in Greece have been limited […]
On June 24, a document of the Secretary-General of Citizenship was published to provide clarifications on the extension of residence permits relating to naturalization and second generation citizenship procedures. Based on these clarifications, “since for the submission of an application for Greek citizenship, both in the naturalization process as well as in procedures based on the provisions of Law 4332/2015 (birth/ school attendance in Greece) […]
Generation 2.0 RED through its daily contact with the immigrant population and following communication and meetings with the authorities and public services has identified a number of urgent issues that have arisen, as a direct consequence of the precautionary measures against the spread of the coronavirus (covid-19), taken by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, between March 11, 2020 and April 24, 2020. These measures […]
In February 2020, in the Joint Press Release we co-signed with the Hellenic League for Human Rights and the National Confederation of Disable People, we highlighted a problematic provision of the bill ‘’Strategic Development Perspectives of Local Authorities, Regulation of Issues of Ministry of Interior and Other Provisions”, regarding the intended removal of Article 31 of Law 4604/2019 pertaining to the ability of acquisition of […]
Photo credits: Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity The Impact of the Coronavirus Pandemic on EU Agriculture As the novel coronavirus pandemic sweeps across Europe, the consequences for European agriculture are also making themselves felt. The European Union institutions and national leaders have pledged to ensure that food supplies will not be affected, and a number of short-term measures are being implemented. Governments are […]
‘Restore legality to protect refugees and the society at large amidst the pandemic’ Open letter signed by 132 Organizations To The President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou The President of the Hellenic Parliament, Constantine An. Tassoulas The Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis The President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli The President of the European Council, Charles Michel The President of the European Commission, Ursula […]
On Thursday, 5th of March 2020, the draft bill of the Ministry of Interior “Strategic Development Perspectives of Local Authorities, Regulation of Issues of the Ministry of Interior and Other Provisions” was voted. This bill includes procedural changes aimed at a more efficient process of acquisition of Greek citizenship, but brings about substantial changes that limit the access of certain groups of the population. In […]
To: Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic, Kyriakos Mitsotakis President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli President of the European Council, Charles Michel President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen Athens, 6 March 2020 – The undersigned organisations are deeply concerned about recent developments at the Evros border and the Aegean islands where people are stranded at the borders of Europe, instrumentalized […]
Athens, 5.03.2020 – The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) strongly condemns the recent incidents targeting refugees, asylum seekers, and humanitarian workers on the Greek Aegean islands and at Evros. In recent days, the member organizations of the RVRN witness numerous and escalating xenophobic and racist incidents, by groups of some locals against newly arrived refugees and migrants, as well as attacks against staff of […]
The public debate that has recently started regarding pensions, based on a proposed bill by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs: “Social Reform and Digital Transformation of the National Social Security Agency (e-EFKA)”, which is scheduled to be voted today February 27, expresses little concern on a chronic problem regarding the retirement of immigrants and Greeks of immigrant origin who have lived and worked […]
On Friday, February 21, 2020, the draft bill ‘’Strategic Development Perspectives of Local Authorities, Regulation of Issues of Ministry of Interior and Other Provisions”, was submitted to the Parliament, which brings about procedural and substantive changes to the acquisition of Greek citizenship. This bill had been put up for public consultation on 18 November 2019, without however, including the fourth chapter regarding provisions on citizenship. […]
The Bill “Strategic development prospects of Local Authorities, settlement of Ministry of Interior issues and other provisions” submitted in Parliament on February 21th 2020, results in both procedural and substantive changes in the acquisition of Greek citizenship. According to Article 41 of the bill, the application of Article 32 of Law 4604/2019, which had reformed the process of verifying the substantive conditions of naturalization, is […]
The Racist Violence Recording Network is following with great interest the Golden Dawn trial, to which it has been summoned to testify on behalf of the legal team of the “Egyptian fishermen case” – one of 154 incidents that the Network recorded in 2012. Since its establishment in 2011, the Racist Violence Recording Network has repeatedly sounded the alarm over the dramatic increase in the […]
Comments from Generation 2.0 RED on the Draft Bill on Birth Allowance and Other Provisions The Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Mr. Ioannis Vroutsis, on December 27, 2019, published for public consultation the draft law on “Childbirth Allowance and Other Provisions”, which will come to an end on Friday, 10 January 2020 at 6pm. The draft law introduces for the first time the childbirth […]
The organizations Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity and the Network for Children’s Rights, have requested the intervention of Τhe Greek Ombudsman in the form of an official complaint in reference to the discrimination against children and young people between the ages of 6 and 25 on the grounds of nationality upon entry into organized archaeological sites, historical sites, monuments and museums in Greece. […]
Following our first meeting with the Secretary General for Immigration Policy, Reception and Asylum (SG), Mr. Patroclos Georgiades, which took place on 29th August 2019 in the context of his newly assumed duties, Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality and Diversity had a second meeting with him, on Friday 1st November 2019. Our goal was to continue the conversation in order to get clarifications on the […]
In recent weeks, the Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) has witnessed an increasing number of xenophobic and racist incidents, targeting the transfers of asylum seekers to reception facilities. These incidents may be committed by small groups from local communities but the wide-spread and organized nature they seem to take, as well as the involvement of officials, are of particular concern to us. The RVRN has […]
On October 15, 2019 at 21:00 pm, the Ministry of Citizen Protection published for public consultation the draft law “On International Protection”, which entails a comprehensive reform of the Greek reception and international protection system. The consultation process came to an end on 21 October 2019 at 4pm. It is quite obvious that this time frame of just four business days was not nearly enough […]
Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity participated, as part of the mission of the European Network of People of African Descent (ENPAD), in the first EU Anti-Racism and Diversity Week, which took place in the European Parliament from 23-26 September 2019. The event was co-organized by The European Parliament Anti-Racism and Diversity Intergroup- ARDI, the European Network Against Racism (ENAR) and Each One Teach […]
On Thursday, September 19, 2019 Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality and Diversity met with the new Secretary-General of Citizenship (S.G.), Athanasios Balerbas on the occasion of his newly assumed duties. In addition to an acquaintance and mutual exchange of information, the main purpose of the meeting was to receive clarifications and briefings on the next steps towards resolving several outstanding issues under his jurisdiction. Specifically, […]
We are pleased with the modification of a recent vacancy notice at The Organization Against Drugs (OKANA) for the position of Managing Director (with an initial application deadline of 17 June 2019). The notice in question, excluded from the outset, a group of Greek citizens, by setting the condition of a year’s lapse from the acquisition of Greek citizenship by naturalization. Following a notification by […]
On the occasion of the inauguration of the new government, and in consideration of the Presidential Decree 81 on the merger of the Ministry of Migration Policy with the Ministry of Citizen Protection, Generation 2.0 RED expresses its concerns. During the short election period little was heard on the topic of integration of migrants and refugees, while any talk on immigration was in the light […]
In light of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Generation 2.0 RED, in collaboration with Vouliwatch, put forth a series of questions to all the democratic candidate parties regarding specific immigration and refugees related integration policies in Greece. The choice of questions was based on (a) the issues we have been working on the past few years and which we deem outstanding (b) the programs of the […]
On June 30, Carola Rackete, captain of the Sea-Watch 3 rescue boat, disembarked 42 people to Lampedusa. People who had fled Libya and were rescued in the Mediterranean She was arrested after spending two weeks at international waters. Today, she faces serious persecution and the possibility of sentencing to several years of imprisonment, because she has, under necessity, entered the Italian waters and docked the […]
In light of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Generation 2.0 RED, in collaboration with Vouliwatch, put forth the following questions to all the democratic candidate parties regarding specific immigration and refugees related integration policies in Greece. The choice of questions was based on (a) the issues we have been working on the past few years and which we deem outstanding (b) the programs of the political […]
We are watching with great interest, this pre-election period the development of a public debate about benefits. Specifically, we are watching the connection with citizenship by the main opposition. We have written and spoken countless times regarding the hypocrisy surrounding the right to citizenship; this right now exists, so the debate now moves de facto to another level. Even if there is an institutional framework […]
The year 2019 signals a milestone in the history of the second generation, as it marks the year where the largest number of people of different ethnic backgrounds born and/or raised in Greece have the right to vote. With the conviction that citizenship is not just another paper, Generation 2.0 RED, as an organization founded by the second generation, is launching the campaign “To Dynato […]
Twelve years ago, the demand of our mothers was for their children, that is we, the second generation, to be registered in the population registers of the municipalities. Today, after having secured the right to Greek citizenship, we appear to have returned to this initial request, albeit under different circumstances. It has become known, that over the past few months, due to bureaucracy, men who […]
Yesterday, the bill of the Ministry of Interior “Promoting substantial gender equality, preventing and combating gender-based violence – Regulations for the granting of Citizenship – Provisions for the Local Government elections – Other provisions of the Ministry of the Interior” was voted in. The bill may have brought significant changes to the process of naturalization, however it also includes a major change in regard to […]
Tomorrow, Tuesday, 19/03/2019, the bill of the Ministry of Interior “Promoting substantial gender equality, preventing and combating gender-based violence – Regulations for the granting of Citizenship – Provisions for the Local Government elections – Other provisions of the Ministry of the Interior” is being voted. The bill ushers in new regulations for the granting of Greek citizenship under the process of naturalization. On Wednesday 13/03/2019, […]
On Tuesday 12/02/2019, Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity participated in the meeting of the Subcommittee on Combating Human Trafficking and Exploitation on the case of Manolada. Below you can read our entire speech. You can watch the video with the whole speech on Facebook or on YouTube. [Sebene Eshete] “Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, we want to thank you for inviting our organization. Generation 2.0 for […]
The organizations Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity and ANASA Cultural Center for African Art and Cultures filed a complaint with the Greek National Council for Radio and Television regarding the content of the television show “Be Happy” of Katerina Kenourgiou which aired on the channel Open Beyond on Friday 25/01/2019. Particularly, in a sketch as part of the column “Dilemmas”, a white actress […]
The long-awaited National Strategy for Integration was published online on the 15th of January for public consultation. Due to our nature as an organization, originating from the self-organization of the children of migrants born and/or raised in the country, we focused our attention on the section that references the second generation. From the very first reading we were troubled and then admittedly disappointed with the […]
Τhe Special Secretariat for Citizenship published statistics on the acquisition of Greek citizenship based on the procedure for the children of migrants as well as by naturalization. In particular, the pending requests per year and per corresponding service, as well as the specific batch of applications each Directorate or Department of Civil Status is currently processing are presented. Data on the number of decisions issued […]
Generation 2.0 RED submitted on 11/01/2019 to the Consumer Ombudsman a Report-Complaint against the practice of the four systemic banks which deny to open wage bank accounts for International Protection/Asylum applicants, although they are submitting an attestation of recruitment by their employer. According to article 71 of law 4375/2016: “International Protection Applicants, after completing the International Protection Application procedure (…) have the right to dependent […]
(Field worker in a burnt greenhouse in Manolada after the fire. Photo by Generation 2.0 RED) On the 5th of September 2018, 164 farm workers from Bangladesh and Pakistan, who were victims of the fire that broke out in the makeshift camp in Nea Manolada on 7/6/2018, submitted through the legal aides of Generation 2.0 RED an application-petition to the Central Service of the Labor […]
On Wednesday 5/12, Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity participated in the meeting of the Permanent Special Committee on Equality, Youth and Human Rights on “Migrants – Second Generation”. Below you can read our entire speech. You can watch the video with the whole speech on Facebook or on YouTube. [Jackie Abhulimen] “Ladies and gentlemen, Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality and Diversity, is an […]
Based on data provided to us by the Ministry of Interior, Generation 2.0 RED presents the quantitative data on applications for Greek citizenship both by naturalization and under the law 4332/2015 (due to birth or school attendance) for the first half of 2018. The figures presented are on a nationwide level as well as the regional levels of Attica, Athens and Thessaloniki. Law 4332/2015 For […]
Generation 2.0 RED participated in this year’s Fundamental Rights Forum, organized by the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) in Vienna from the 25th to 27th of September. Being one of the EU’s decentralized agencies, FRA serves as a center of expertise mandated to deal with the full spectrum of fundamental rights. Over the course of the three days we joined over 650 participants hailing […]
We are ecstatic to announce that Generation 2.0 RED will be participating in this year’s Fundamental Rights Forum 2018, taking place in Vienna from 25 to 27 September 2018! Organized by the European Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), the theme this year is ‘belonging’. Over the course of the three days we will be joining over 400 leading global, European, national and local practitioners, […]
In light of the recent call for applications of the Employment Organization of Greece’s program titled “Promoting employment through community-based programs, including training, in Municipalities, Regions and Social Welfare Centers” we would like to bring forth a chronic unacceptable discrimination against Greek citizens due to their national or ethnic origin. The program concerns 30,333 full-time appointments for Greek citizens in the country’s Municipalities, Regions and […]
Following Generation 2.0’s interventions to the relevant bodies, an amendment was accepted in parliament yesterday which extends the deadline for submission of applications for citizenship (based on the l. 4332/2015) for those that had completed the mandatory years of education before the 9/5/2015. The extension has been granted until 31/12/2018*. As we have mentioned before, see here, according to the law, specific deadlines to apply […]
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