Greece’s parliament has approved legislation imposing stricter penalties on rejected asylum seekers and speeding up their return to home countries, amid rising migrant arrivals at its southern borders.
The law, passed on Wednesday, requires undocumented migrants from countries designated as safe by the European Union, who are not entitled to asylum, to either return voluntarily or face detention of at least 24 months and fines of up to €10,000.
Although migration flows into Greece have fallen since the 2015–2016 crisis—when over a million people fleeing conflict and poverty crossed into Europe via the country—recent arrivals from Libya through Crete and Gavdos prompted authorities to suspend asylum applications for North African migrants earlier this year.
The legislation underscores Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s tougher migration stance since 2019, which has included extending the border fence with Turkey and strengthening sea patrols.
“Greeks have the right to protect their country, and that outweighs the right of someone whose asylum application has been rejected to stay illegally,” Migration Minister Thanos Plevris told lawmakers on Tuesday.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) voiced concern, warning that the measure risks penalising individuals who may still qualify for international protection. It urged Athens to adopt fast-track asylum processes to better distinguish between genuine refugees and those without valid claims.
Greek officials insist returns will follow lawful procedures. Authorities reported that hundreds of irregular migrants were repatriated after asylum requests were suspended in July, with further flights to Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Egypt scheduled this month.
Human rights groups, however, continue to accuse Greece of illegal “pushbacks” at its land and sea borders. Earlier this year, the EU border agency Frontex confirmed it was investigating 12 cases of possible rights violations involving Greek authorities.
