‘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 […]
In July 2015 the much-debated law 4332 was voted in, giving the right to Greek citizenship to the children of migrants born and/or raised in Greece. Three years later, we are tasked with taking a retrospective look and evaluating the implementation of the law. The passing of the law did not signify an end to the fight, instead it signifies a new starting point. The […]
After our interventions via filing a report to the Greek Ombudsman, notices and letters, it appears that the social security rights of third-country nationals and their children will be upheld. An amendment tabled in Parliament on Friday and scheduled to be voted today includes a regulation equalizing the social security rights of the children of migrants with those of the children of Greek citizens. Based […]
Every year the statistical office of the European Union “Eurostat” publishes statistical data on the acquisition of citizenship across its 28 Member States. In 2016, a total of 994.800 people obtained citizenship of a Member State of the European Union (from 841.000 in 2015 and 889.000 in 2014), most of which were citizens of non-EU countries. Compared to last year, this increase of 18% comes […]
Last week, the internet was flooded with duplications of an article published by capital.gr, leading up to the April 14th front page cover of Parapolitics. These articles, fueled with inaccuracies and leaps of logic, highlighted a supposed mass “Greekization” of migrants. It is common knowledge that in Greece every public debate on citizenship will trigger myths and will cultivate fear or hope, depending on how […]
For the third consecutive year, diaNEOsis conducted their nationwide poll “What do Greeks believe”. With the use of a questionnaire, the study reflects the position of today’s Greek citizen on a wide range of social issues. The 80 questions used capture the views, experiences and aspirations of the Greek citizen on topics such as Europe, the economy, individual rights, education, religion, sexual harassment as well […]
The 21st of March, on the occasion of the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, ENAR (the European Network against Racism) published a report entitled “ENAR Shadow Report – Racism & Discrimination in Employment in Europe 2013-2017”. The report analyzes the difficulties that ethnic minorities face when accessing the employment and labour market – in terms of racism and discrimination- in 23 different […]
On the 22nd of March 2018, Generation 2.0 RED took the initiative, with the support of the Migrants’ Integration Council and the migrants’ communities, to send a letter to the Ministry of Labor, requesting once more to restore the equal treatment for all the insured persons in the national insurance institutions. In particular, we are asking for a regulation which will state that all the […]
As we have pointed out before, it is clear that, despite the legislation on equal social security rights, legally residing third-country nationals live, work and pay their duties to the Greek state. However, they do not enjoy equal rights with Greek citizens, since they cannot include their adult children in their booklets. The Ombudsman has also said this since July 2017: Third-country insured citizens are […]
The news of the recent attack carried out by strangers, at the 1st Gymnasium of Eleftherios Venizelos in Chania, where the Albanian language is taught to the children of migrants raises serious concerns. Even though no one has officially taken responsibility, the attack at this particular school is no coincidence. As is well known, this is not the first time this particular school is targeted. […]
Based on the annual report of the newly created Special Secretariat of Citizenship, the number of positive decisions on the acquisition of Greek citizenship for the year 2017 was 33.718. More specifically, we see that 73.51% of the positive decisions concern applications based on birth/school attendance in Greece. The largest percentage of these (92.07%) concerns applications from citizens of Albanian origin. As far as naturalization […]
Apart from the delays in the Asylum Service, which can be easily spotted by anyone passing from Katehaki every day, over the last past months major problems can also be found in Athens’ Immigration Unit, which serves the entire Municipality of Athens. Appointments for resident permits’ renewals are given on dates after the expiration of the current ones. However, during this time there is no […]
Upon inquiry of Generation 2.0 RED, the Asylum Service sent a letter to the Ministry of Labor and the Ministry of Administrative Reconciliation on the renewal of residence permits for beneficiaries entitled to international protection. There have been incidents in which beneficiaries of international protection with a certificate of pending request, which lasts for 2 months, arrive at Citizens Service Centers for KEA (Social Solidarity […]
Generation 2.0 RED, based on data received from the Ministry of Interior, presents the figures for Greek citizenship as they were until the end of the second quarter of 2017, both at a Territory and Attica level. Applications From the beginning of the implementation of the law until the end of the 3rd trimester of 2017 (30/9), the applications for Greek citizenship based on Law […]
With the reform of Ius Soli still blocked in the Senate, the group Ïtalilani Senza Cittadinanza” started a petition to put pressure, asking for what should be obvious: to being recognised as Italian Citizens. More info on the struggle for the Ius Soli reform can be found here. Here follows the original text translated in English, with which they ask you to also sign the […]
Thousands of different stories and faces An infinite love for Italy One request: be recognised as Italians The reform asked by thousands of people living in Italy tries to change the law of 1992 concerning Italian citizenship. In fact, since 1992, to become Italian, a person born in Italy from foreign parents must be legally residing in Italy without interruption from his/her birth and can […]
The matter of the unjustified discrimination suffered by third-country nationals and their children regarding their insurance rights is once again raised by Generation 2.0 RED and Solidarity Now. The two organizations co-sign a joint letter to the Ministry of Labor, asking for the disputed provisions to be corrected and complied with the Greek Code of Migration and Social Inclusion and with the principle of equal […]
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Not so long ago after the article we wrote about what is happening in the camp of Moria, 15 organizations have published a joint press release on the violent incidents that have occurred against immigrants and refugees a few days ago. Generation 2.0 RED welcomes this initiative and co-signs. We express our deepest concern in relation to the information, complaints and testimonies about violence and […]
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Skype: The first step to be recognized as an asylum seeker | Statistics & Observations By Silvia Giulini This report focuses on the Greek Asylum Service and, in particular, on Skype, which is the first step for a Third Country National (TCN) in Greece to be recognised as an asylum seeker. This report is based on the data collected by our organization, Generation 2.0 for […]
Based on data provided to us by the Ministry of Interior, it appears that from the beginning of the implementation of Law 4332/2015, 5.8380 applications for Greek citizenship have been filed by persons born and educated in Greece, 42.5% of whose applications have been filed in the Decentralized Services of Attica. Meanwhile, 27.858 decisions have been issued (about 48%). Apart from the procedure for migrant […]
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