ΕλληνικάRegarding the Migration and Social Integration Code
The Migration and Social Integration Code, which brings together the current existing legislation, will be submitted to the Parliament on the 11th of March.
Although the above mentioned Code is an attempt to solve anachronistic issues faced by foreigners in Greece, there is an evident absence of any holistic approach or resolution of these issues. It introduces some innovations (gives access to the second generation residence permit to children who have attended at least 6 years of school in Greece), it facilitates – only certain – procedures (reduction of the income criteria for accessing the long-term residence permit, abolishment for family reunification and using health books to restore certain categories of migrants to legality) and it may improve significantly with modifications.
Given the delicate political situation in the country at this given moment, the general conditions in Europe and the fact that we urgently need to solve the migrants’ issues of those who are living and working in Greece, we support the efforts heading towards this direction. Therefore, we will remind on every opportunity that this Code does not include holistic changes that will help to solve the problems for all the categories of migrants. Particularly those of the vulnerable and very important category of young people who were born and raised in Greece, who are still deprived of their right to citizenship. We will wait for future legal initiatives – as the Minister himself promised – towards this direction.
