The reduction of illegal immigrant flows from Libya to Gavdos, the Greek government’s measures and the new bill on immigration were mentioned on Tuesday morning by the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris.

He said that in the last 20 days migration flows have been falling, while in July some 3,500 migrant arrivals were recorded: “In the first week of July we had 2,642 arrivals in one week and that is when we took the decision to suspend asylum for three months. From 9 July to the end of July, we had 913 people. After the amendment we have a huge drop in three weeks and in the first 20 days of August we have under 400 arrivals in one month.”

“This shows that a job has been done both by the amendment and by diplomacy, because there are constant diplomatic moves and by the Foreign Minister, Mr. Gerapetritis, with the part of Eastern Libya, but a message has also been given that Greece is no longer considering asylum, those who come are detained, they are put in detention and conditions are created for the deportation acts to come out,” Thanos Plevris added.

After referring to the amendment on the three-month asylum suspension, which, he said, “put in a balance the rights of third-country citizens to seek asylum and the right of Greeks, who cannot see boats coming and a government not reacting,” he said “Greek citizens should know that under no circumstances are we going to become a country of open borders or a country where those who come will be welcomed with flowers.”

On the occasion of the new bill on immigration, Plevris clarified that “we are now criminalizing illegal residence.” “Anyone who comes here and applies for asylum should respect the country they are here. If he doesn’t respect the country, the procedures are stopped and he is deported,” he added.

“There are many programs for those who are getting asylum now and trying to integrate them. These programs – and this is where we will be making a change from now on – are mainly based on a subsidy policy. Rent allowances, allowances to live. Slowly the shift has to be made elsewhere. Stop the benefits, teach the person skills who has been given asylum and go to work. The logic now slowly becomes ‘sir, you here once you get asylum, you don’t get a shitload of benefits. Slowly you will have to learn something, learn Greek, learn a job, go to work, so that you don’t live at the expense of the taxpayers who made sure you got asylum because you come from a war zone,” the Minister of Immigration and Asylum explained.

Not only persecuted people come to Greece, but also spoiled ones

“Not only do the persecuted come to Greece, but the spoiled also come,” said the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, making it clear that the government will not allow the country to become an “open border” country or to welcome “with flowers” those who enter illegally, announcing that at the end of August a bill will come to the Parliament which will criminalize illegal residence.

“Has your asylum been rejected? You have a criminal offence, with a prison sentence of two to five years,” he said, speaking to Mega.

The minister pointed out that immigration flows are showing an impressive decline after the three-month suspension of asylum, while he highlighted as a top issue the increase in returns, either voluntary or forced, in cooperation with third countries. At the same time, he criticized NGOs that have appealed against the amendment, stressing that “we will not accept that ships come in and the government does not react.”

Referring to incidents of provocative behaviour by asylum seekers, such as at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier, he said that “anyone seeking asylum must respect the country; if they do not respect it, the process stops and deportation is triggered”. Finally, he stressed that the logic of integration is also changing: instead of an incentive policy, asylum seekers will acquire skills, learn the language and join the labour market, as “they cannot live permanently at the expense of Greek taxpayers.”