ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece will end mass legalization programs for migrants and jail those awaiting deportation under tougher policies set to take effect this summer, Migration Minister Makis Voridis said Friday.
Migrants with rejected asylum claims will face a minimum of two years in jail, with sentences commuted upon deportation, he said.
The plans, outlined by Greece's conservative government — and closely watched by other European Union member states — were discussed at a Cabinet meeting this week. The European Union has pledged to make deportations a priority in 2025 and finalize common rules across the 27-nation bloc.
According to the European Commission, about 80% of deportation orders across member states are not carried out. Voridis said the rate is even higher in Greece and urged the EU to set clearer criteria for legal residence.