09/19/2025
Greek Parliament Approves Harsh Migration Bill: Prison Sentences, Fines and Ankle-Monitors
New migration law passed by Greece is considered one of the toughest in Europe. Opposition parties and international media speak of “Trumpian turn.”
Amidst strong reactions, Greece’s Parliament voted on 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.
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.
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.
