Athens, Greece — Amidst strong reactions, Greece’s Parliament voted on Wednesday, September 3 in favor of a new migration bill, which introduces prison sentences of two to five years for those who remain in the country after their asylum applications have been rejected, among other provisions.

The new law comes as part of a broader anti-immigrant policy recently adopted by the conservative New Democracy government. In July, increased refugee and migrant arrivals on the southern island of Crete prompted an emergency measure suspending asylum applications from people arriving to Crete from North Africa for three months. The measure remains in force.

Greece recorded 6,724 arrivals of refugees and migrants in July 2025, 3,534 of which were on Crete, According to data from the Ministry of Migration and Asylum. In August, UNHCR figures show that the total arrivals reached 3,555, bringing the total for 2025 to 29,425. Greek media reported that arrivals on Crete in August dropped to just 689.

The Greek government says the aim of its policy is to deter and counter irregular migration. However, domestic and international organizations as well as opposition parties have criticized the new law on human rights and racial justice grounds.

‘You are not welcome’

Under the bill’s provisions, asylum seekers whose applications are rejected are given a 14-day deadline to leave the country voluntarily; otherwise, they face a prison sentence of two to five years. The law also allows for electronic monitoring with ankle bracelets, and imposes a fine of at least € 5,000 (about $5,800) for those entering the country irregularly, rising to at least €10,000 (around $11,700) for repeat offenses.

Closing the parliamentary debate, Minister of Migration Thanos Plevris, referring to migrants who might defy the new law, declared: “The Greek State does not accept you, you are not tolerated. Once you have entered illegally, you have one choice: to go back. You are not welcome.” He nevertheless assured that those entitled to international protection will be granted asylum. “If your asylum claim is rejected, you have two options: either go to prison or return to your country of origin,” he added. 

The law also increases the maximum period of administrative detention from 18 to 24 months for those entering without valid documents, and abolishes the possibility of legalizing one’s status after seven years of residence in Greece.

Meanwhile, the emergency suspension of asylum applications announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in July remains in force. According to the government, the measure aimed to send a “clear message” to smuggling networks that Greece’s borders are closed.

The new law bears the imprint of Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, who describes himself as a “hardliner” and comes from the nationalist and far-right party LAOS (Popular Orthodox Rally). His father, Konstantinos Plevris, was active in far-right circles for decades and acted as legal counsel for members of the Greek neo-Nazi criminal organization Golden Dawn.

Reactions to the ‘Trumpian turn’

The bill did not pass without backlash. Opposition parties labeled it “racist” and “inhumane,” referring to a “Trumpian turn,” citing a recent Washington Post story highlighting Greece’s migration policy.

International and domestic organizations also voiced strong criticism, arguing that the new law violates international conventions and introduces unworkable measures. The Union of Administrative Judges of Greece stressed that“the migration–refugee issue cannot be addressed through repression and the tightening of procedures for granting residence permits or asylum.” In a statement, UNHCR warned: “These measures risk penalizing persons in need of international protection or whose international protection needs have not yet been assessed.” 

The Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) also weighed in, stressing that several provisions of the new law contradict articles of the 1951 Geneva Convention and are inconsistent with EU legislation. In its statement, GCR described the law as an “extreme case of instrumentalization of criminal law.”

Regarding the suspension of asylum applications still in place since July, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued two interim measures. The first concerned eight Sudanese nationals and the second four Eritreans, instructing the Greek government not to proceed with deportations before their asylum requests are examined.

Beyond institutional actors, civil society also showed its opposition. On the day of the vote, extra-parliamentary leftist parties, pro-refugee and migrant groups, and solidarity networks gathered outside Parliament and marched through central Athens.

The new legislative framework is considered one of the harshest in the European Union. At the same time, other countries also appear to be moving in a similar direction, with anti-immigration sentiment on the rise across Europe — a trend that carries the risk of further empowering the far right.

Cover image contributed by Romanos Lioutas.

For more from Greece, see our Archives.

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