Source: http://www.red-network.eu/?i=red-network.en.countries&id=8&view=racismAtlas&s=EQUALITY&sc=11&iid=111
Timestamp: 2018-05-26 17:41:22
Document Index: 674389867

Matched Legal Cases: ['Art. 19', 'art.13', 'art.72', 'art.35', 'art.72', 'art19614', 'Art. 14', 'Art. 17', 'Art. 18', 'Art. 17', 'Art. 1', 'Art. 78', 'Art. 1', 'art. 65', 'art. 11', 'art. 12']

Anti-discrimination legislation provides for positive measures in order to ensure full equality, but this is hindered by specific social and economic obstacles in almost all fields of social interaction. Differential pay rates, particular difficulties in accessing housing of their choice, evidence of differential enrollment at public schools, limited civic participation, restrictions to the freedom of association and use of minority languages in media are the main problems reported.
Yes. There are 3 Equality Bodies, but only one is indpendent and fully operational.
There are three Equality Bodies established or mandated by the Law 3304/2005:
The Greek Ombudsman that ensures and monitors the implementation of the abovementioned anti-discrimination law (Law 3304/2005) as concerns: 1) the public sector; b) local and regional authorities; 3) other public bodies, private law corporate entities, enterprises and organizations which are controlled by the state, or by public law entities. It is the only independent (enshrined by the constitution as Parliamentary Ombudsman) and fully operational.
The Labour Inspectorate, which according to the Art. 19 of Law 3304/2005 empowers to ensure equal treatment in employment.
The Committee for Equal Treatment, which is chaired by the Secretary General of the Minister of Justice has been empowered to monitor the implementation of Law 3304/2005 in areas which fall outside the competence of the Ombudsman and the Labour Inspectorate. The Committe has never published any report on its operation, with a large mandate on the private sector, and is considered not to be operational.
Yes. Police Directorates and specially assigned Prosecutor in addition to civil society data collection mechanisms.
Since December 2012 a network of 68 competent Police directorates throughout the country and 2 central Departments are assigned the task of collecting data and reporting on racist violence.
Furthermore, the Ombudsman, as Equality Body, collects data on complaints received and issues assessments in its Annual Report. In addition, the RAXEN NFP HLHR-KEMO begun collecting and producing data on racist violence and discrimination in 2007 and i-RED established the first online tool for reporting istances and incidents of racism and discrimination (i-RED Racist Violence & Crime Database) and together with the RAXEN NFP reported data on racist and hate crime in 2011.
Pavlou. M & Prearis K., 22.10.2010, RAXEN Thematic Study: Racist and related hate crimes in the EU - Greece, http://www.i-red.eu/?i=institute.en.publications.210, Accessed on 25.1.2013.
Law 3304/2005 provides for positive measures for preventing or counterbalancing disadvantages on grounds of racial or ethnic origin, of religious or other beliefs, disability, age or sexual orientation.
Not widely adopted, although there are some cases of positive measures for specific groups (Muslim nationals, Roma)
Some positive measures have been adopted for Greek Muslims and Roma in the last years, concerning housing (loan program for Roma) and employment in the public sector (quota for Muslim minority nationals). However, legal provisions have not been implemented efficiently or successfully in most of cases.
Discrimination victims may refer to competent Equality Bodies but they do not enjoy any assistance in court by any public body
Yes, but is hardly implemented
According to the HLHR-KEMO/i-RED RAXEN Reports:
As the Ombudsman explains: ‘In many cases, however, despite the fact that there had been confirmation of direct or indirect discrimination, enforcing the relevant provision was possible only by means of analogy. The problem stems from the fact that the crucial act or omission on the part of the public agency involved fell within the scope of its authoritative(‘κυριαρχική διοίκηση’) rather than its public service (‘παροχική διοίκηση’) jurisdiction and/or was beyond the regulatory scope of Statute No 3304/2005. Therefore, it was impossible in many cases to utilize the newly revised provision regarding the shift of burden of proof.’ [1 &2]/
The Greek Ombudsman, Equality Body Annual Report 2008, p.2. http://www.synigoros.gr/diakriseis/pdfs_01/8293_1_2008_Annual_Report_on_Discrimination_Law_3304.2005.pdf Cfr. also The Greek Ombudsman, Equality Body Annual Report 2009, p.2. http://www.synigoros.gr/diakriseis/pdfs_01/8654_1_Ekthesi_Diakrisewn_2009_final.pdf.
Legal entities may engage in administrative or judicial proceedings on behalf of discrimination victims only when respect of the equal treatment principle is include in the organisations satute scopes. (art.13 of law n.3304/2005).
Various independent and authoritative sources report that the anti-discrimination legislation faces problems of implementation in Greece, which may be summarised as follows:
- lack of independence or not operational status of all Equality Bodies.
- low number of cases submitted to the only operational and independent Equality Body: The Greek Ombudsman, most of which are pending for many years.
- no court cases reported.
Source: Greek RAXEN NFP reports, 2006-2010.
Nevertheless, the fact that large numbers of migrants are working in sectors where precarious or even undeclared labour, e.g. domestic workers, is dominant explains the low numbers of unionised migrant workers.
Employment to the public sector is restricted to national and in some cases and under certain conditions to EU nationals. In no case, third country nationals can have access to employment in public sector.
There have been implemented three regularisation programmes (1998,2001 and 2005) for illegal migrants who could prove their residence in the country. There is no such provision in current legislation.
Yes, but with doubtful results.
ECRI in its September 2009 report expressed its concern regarding a positive measure introduced by law 3647/08 in 2008 provided a quota for members of the Muslim minority in the civil service. ECRI notes that ‘it does not appear that measures have been taken to implement this quota. A comprehensive long-term programme has not yet been established by the authorities to improve the integration of Muslims from Western Thrace into the labour market. Reports indicate that they continue to be under-represented in the public sector and state owned corporations.’
External Url http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Greece/GRC-CbC-IV-2009-031-ENG.pdf
Yes; difficulties exist at the social, not legal level.
According to studies, difficulties in purchasing or renting property still exist among migrants.
See among others: Drydakis, N. (2011), "Ethnic Discrimination in the Greek Housing Market", Journal of Population Economics, 24(4), 1235-1255.
Groups Migrants and refugees
Initiatives Housing loan scheme
Roma have been provided with a specific housing loan scheme, but according to the Fourth ECRI report on Greece, "although the authorities have indicated that it is evaluated, reports indicate that there may have been irregularities in the implementation of this scheme, such as loans not being provided to the intended beneficiaries."
As noted in the ECRI report the main problem remains the access of Roma children to education: ‘Roma remain at a great disadvantage with regard to education. There are still cases of schools refusing to register Roma children for attendance, in some instances due to pressure by some non-Roma parents.'
The UN Committee for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination expressed in its 2009 report its concern about the alleged limited access to quality minority education for the Turkish speaking minority in Western Thrace. The CERD recommended that ‘the State party improve the quality of education for the vulnerable ethnic groups and the Muslim minority, including through the training of teachers belonging to these groups, to ensure that there is a sufficient number of secondary schools, and to create pre-schools that teach in the mother tongue of their students’
External Url http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Greece/GRC-CbC-IV-2009-031-ENG.pdf; http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/CERD.C.GRC.19EN.doc
In general, education is one of the fields where access for migrant children is not restricted. Problems, such as language and higher drop-out rate, exist but enrollment rates are not significantly differentiated from those of Greek
parents' children.
Roma children and children of Muslim minority in Western Thrace demonstrate a significantly poorer educational performance.
As far as migrant children are concerned, unequal performance is less significant. As the following table shows, differences in grades between secondary education students from Albania and from Greece, were not significantly large.
2nd junior high-school
3rd junior high-school
Source: Gotovos, A. & Marcou, G. (2004), Repatriated and foreign students in Greek education, Athens: IPODE.
External Url http://estia.hua.gr:8080/dspace/bitstream/123456789/1050/1/Haliapa_Anastasia_Phd.pdf ; http://estia.hua.gr:8080/dspace/bitstream/123456789/1050/1/Haliapa_Anastasia_Phd.pdf
According to the 4th ECRI report on Greece, "as the Greek authorities have pointed out themselves, and the Ombudsman has confirmed, there is a very high drop-out rate among Roma pupils."
ECRI also notes with concern, as acknowledged by the authorities themselves, that there is a 12% drop-out rate among Pomak (part of the Muslim minority of Western Thrace) children.
The Integrated Action Programme for the social integration of Roma launched in 2002 includes education as one of its goals. However, more measures appear to be necessary, inter alia, within the framework of this programme to address the problems faced by Roma in education. An Inter-Ministerial Committee within the Ministry of Interior coordinates the activities of all relevant ministries in the implementation of the Integrated Action Programme for the social integration of Roma.
The Greek authorities continue to implement the four-phase project entitled “Education of Muslim Children”, the last phase being implemented from 2010 to 2013. Within this project books for students and for teachers used in the Greek-speaking programme in minority primary schools have been produced. In addition, in the 2007-2008 school year, the Greek authorities introduced Turkish as a second language, as an optional subject, in high schools.
As far as initiatives for the support of migrant students, reception classes and support classes in primary and secondary education have been established since 1999 (Ministerial Decision 10/20/Γ1/708/7-9-1999). From 1996 (Law 2413/1996) a legislative framework for intercultural education has been established. So far, there are in Greece only 26 Intercultural schools, of which 13 are primary schools, 9 junior high schools and 4 are senior high schools, and the curriculum is not substantially different from the mainstream one (see Halkias, A., Parsanoglou D. and Golfinopoulos, Y. (2011) "Girls of Migrant Background in Greece: Conflicting Loyalties and Troubling Hierarchies", in The Mediterranean Institute of Gender Studies (MIGS), Young Nigrant Women in Secondary Education: Promoting Integration and Mutual Understanding through Dialogue and Exchange, University of Nicosia Press).
External Url http://hudoc.ecri.coe.int/XMLEcri/ENGLISH/Cycle_04/04_CbC_eng/GRC-CbC-IV-2009-031-ENG.pdf; http://www.museduc.gr/index.php; http://www.medinstgenderstudies.org/wp-content/uploads/Integration_of_young_migrant_women_2011.pdf
Bullying and harassment are wide-spread phenomena; only partially vistims concern migrants and minorities.
Although epidemiological studies in Greece have shown that 1 in 10 school-age children have been exposed systematically to bullying acts (Deligianni-Kouimtzi, 2005, Gender identities, national identities and school violence-investigating the violence and victimization in the school setting. Intermediate report of the Pythagras Program, Period 1/3/2004-31/3/2005), ethnic or religious background does not seem to be a significant factor of victimisation in schools.
Nevertheless, local and national media reported a low number of cases of discrimination and intolerance of Greek pupils’ parents against school children of migrant parents. One case regarded the refusal of Greek parents to accept that an Albanian pupil carried the Greek flag at the school parade in the occasion of the national festivity of March 2009.[1] Another case concerned a violent incident against migrant children in the classroom of the 1st Elementary chool of Agios Stefanos (Attica, wider Athens area). According to the Association of Teachers of Eastern Attica ‘Socrates’ on 6.2.2009 Greek parents have assaulted and beaten migrant children threatining and insulting teachers who tried to intervene defending them. The aggressors returned to the school in the afternoon of the same day accompanied by self-identified police officer demanding from the school director access to personal data of the victims. The teacher’s association filed a lawsuit.[2]
For more, see Pavlou M. - Prearis K. (2010), RAXEN Thematic Study: Racist and related hate crimes in the EU - Greece
[1] Eleftherotipia, Παρέλαση, Λάβαρα και τερτίπια, (11.03.2009), http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.article&id=24835 , respentza blogspot (04.03.2009), http://respentza.blogspot.com/2009/03/blog-post_9528.html
[2] Rizospastis, Γονείς ξυλοκόπησαν παιδιά μεταναστών! (11.03.2009), http://www1.rizospastis.gr/story.do?id=4988837&text
In the case of children with migrant background, only outside the curriculum thanks to initiative of teachers.
In the case of the oficially recognised Muslim minority in Western Thrace, yes.
According to the migration legislation in force, optional teaching of mother tongue and culture may be provided to a specific school upon the condition of a high number of interested pupils and after a decision of the Minister of National Education & Religions.[1] Nevertheless, despite the provision for intercultural education, special lessons of mother tongue, culture and religion for immigrant pupils have not been put to practice, although the migrant associations have raised such claims through formal applications.[2] A good practice performed by the teachers of the 132 elementary School of Athens on their own initiative was de facto paused by the new director appointed by the Ministry of Education causing tensions and the Greek Ombudsman unsuccassful and unresponded intervention.[3]
In the case of Muslim minority in Western Thrace, textbooks and courses are also held in Turkish language.
[1] Law n.3386/2005, art.72.4.
[2] As provided by art.35 of law n.2413/1996 and art.72.4 of law n.3386/2005 and noted by the Greek National Commission for Human Rights in its observations on the Report of the Foreign Affairs Ministry about the application of the International Convention for the Elimination of any Form of Racial Discrimination. (14.2.2008)
[3] More information is found on the school’s site created by pupils and teachers of the 132 elementary school of Athens: http://www.132grava.net
There has been production of educational material that takes into account the diversity of school population, but official curriculum remains essentially monocultural.
Educational material has been produced through several research projects concerning immigrant students and cultural diversity issues took place in the framework of the Operational Programme for Educational and Initial Vocational Training (ΕΠΕΑΕΚ), such as the «Integration of Roma children in School» (University of Ioannina, http://projects.rc.uoi.gr/projects/?lang=el&keID=18), the «Education of Repatriated Greek and Foreign Students» (University of Athens, www.keda.gr), and the «Education of Muslim children» (University of Athens, http://www.museduc.gr/index.php). Nevertheless, curriculum remains essentially monocultural; even in intercultural schools curriculum and educational material is the same with mainstream schools.
Apart from some well-known cases, such as the 132 Elementary school of Athens where teachers are providing on their own initiative additional courses to migrant pupils and parents,[1] other good practices are performed on a temporary basis in schools throughout the country.
In the framework of the project "Action Plan vs racism at schools", funded by the Ministry of Education and coordinated by i-red, 125 different actions implemented in schools throughout the country have been documented. For more, see: Action Plan against racism & discrimination and pro diversity at Greek schools, Deliverable 1: Documentation of organised actions and material for the elimination of discriminations in Greek schools, i-red, 2011.
[1] More information is found on the school’s site created by pupils and teachers of the 132 elementary school of Athens: http://www.132grava.net
External Url http://www.i-red.eu/resources/projects-files/p1-katagrafh-drasewn-kai-ylikoy-sta-ellhnika-sxoleia.pdf
There are several training programmes for teachers, funded by EU and by national institutions, with specific reference to respect of diversity and promotion of intercultural education. One of the main axes in the Training Guidelines of the Organisation of Teachers' Training (OEPEK), refers to the 'Management of the diversity of school population (differential teaching, learning difficulties, psycho-social differentiations among children and adolescents, intercultural education)".
External Url http://www.oepek.gr/portal/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=90:2011-04-27-10-49-40&catid=52:2011-02-10-10-40-02&Itemid=85
Yes, for some diseases, such as tuberculosis and AIDS.
For some diseases, such as tuberculosis, "although the total number of newly detected cases of TB has declined, cases among immigrants are increasing."
See among others, Papaventsis D, Nikolaou S, Karabela S, Ioannidis P, Konstantinidou E, Marinou I, Sainti A, Kanavaki S. (2010), "Tuberculosis in Greece: bacteriologically confirmed cases and anti-tuberculosis drug resistance, 1995-2009", Eurosurveillance, 15(28).
For the case of AIDS/HIV, see: European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) (2010), Migrant health: Epidemiology of HIV and AIDS in migrant communities and ethnic minorities in EU/EEA countries, Stockholm, revised edition.
External Url http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19614; http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/0907_TER_Migrant_health_HIV_Epidemiology_review.pdf
No data available, apart from some diseases more recurrent among migrant population, such as tuberculosis.
Papaventsis D, Nikolaou S, Karabela S, Ioannidis P, Konstantinidou E, Marinou I, Sainti A, Kanavaki S. Tuberculosis in Greece: bacteriologically confirmed cases and anti-tuberculosis drug resistance, 1995-2009. Euro Surveill. 2010;15(28):pii=19614. Available online: http://www.eurosurveillance.org/ViewArticle.aspx?ArticleId=19614
External Url http://www.eurosurveillance.org/images/dynamic/EE/V15N28/art19614.pdf
As the ECRI noted in its most recent 2009 report, public hospital staff are obliged by law to refuse medical treatment to irregular immigrants except in emergencies and to minor children. In practice medical staff and their associations refuse to implement such provision as being against the rights of the patient and the Hippocratic Oath. Nevertheless, the NCHR and ECRI have urged the authorities to repeal this provision and to avoid any discriminatory practices. In particular the ECRI noted with concern the ‘reports indicating lacunae in the imparting of information on their rights and in the availability of translation services, as well as reports of stereotypes and discrimination against immigrants in the health services’.
Lack of relevant information or of access to information, due to language difficulties, limits immigrants' knowledge of procedures and excludes them from the use of certain benefits and rights to which they might be entitled. A 2007 survey by the Medecins du Monde European Observatory on Access to Health Care No papers? No Health? also demonstrated that obstacles to health care access are widespread in Greece. Data from Greece was collected for 112 undocumented migrants visiting two reception and treatment polyclinics of Medecins du Monde in Athens and Thessaloniki. In a question concerning the awareness of HIV screening services, 83.7% of the people questioned answered that they are not aware of their right to access such services. This is by far the highest proportion of uninformed migrants compared to the other 8 European countries surveyed.
Legally residing and employed migrants with regular social security status are entitled to access to health services and provisions under equal status with Greek citizens. However, migrants that are not covered by a social security program (e.g. unemployed, unsecured, with a low income) are not entitled to the social protection provisions which grant free health care and medical coverage, preserved exclusively to Greeks and ethnic Greek immigrants (‘repatriated’ and ‘homogenis’). As the MIGHEALTHNET notes 'given the spread of informal employment arrangements many legally residing immigrants are deprived of social security and hence access to healthcare. Moreover, access to health care services is gravelly hindered by long delays (up to 6 months) in the renewal of residence and work permits, depriving them from social insurance and consequently from free access to the health care system.'
Undocumented migrants in Greece are only entitled to access to hospital emergency rooms for the treatment of life-threatening conditions. The only exception is for foreign patients with HIV or other infectious diseases, who can benefit from free medical care and hospital admission, provided that the appropriate treatment is not available in their country of origin. Asylum seekers are also entitled to the same access to health care as Greeks. However, prior to obtaining an asylum seeker's status they are only entitled to emergency care under life-threatening conditions, like undocumented migrants.
ECRI Report on Greece, Fourth Monitoring Cycle, (15.09.2009), http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Greece/GRC-CbC-IV-2009-031-ENG.pdf:
European survey on undocumented migrant's access to health care http://www.medecinsdumonde.org/gb/content/download/4518/36169/file/rapport_observatoire_english.pdf
MIGHEALTHNET, National Capodistrian University of Athens, Έκθεση για την υγεία των μεταναστών στην Ελλάδα, (03.2009), http://www.mighealth.net/el/index.php/, english summary: http://www.mighealth.net/el/images/f/f7/Greek_State_of_the_Art_Report_-_English_Summary.pdf Data collected by the MIGHEALTHNET, information network on good practice in health care for migrants and minorities in Europe, Greek wiki, http://www.mighealth.net/el/index.php/
Taking inot account that migrants show higher rates in unemployment, lower payment rates and higher rates in non declared and unsecured employment, the risk of poverty for them is higher than for the rest of population.
Socio-Medical Centres provide basic health care services such as preventive medicine, primary health and social care, vaccination, support services and vocational counselling in Roma settlements. A total of 32 such centres have been established in as many municipalities and are co-financed by the European Union Social Fund and the state budget.
As the MIGHEALTHNET report points out in Greece the examples of best practice in health care services addressing migrants are very few: ‘In the National Health System no intercultural services, information in other languages, except Greek, and interpretation services are available. Isolated examples of best practice mainly refer to practices and projects of NGOs offering health care services and psychosocial support to undocumented migrants, refugees and minorities.’
There are a number of NGO and EU-funded initiatives by the Doctors of the World, PRAKSIS, Greek Council for Refugees, Hellenic Red Cross and Medécins Sans Frontières active in providing health care services, counseling and information on welfare, and psychosocial support to undocumented migrants, refugees and minorities. Two of the NGOs (Hellenic Red Cross and Medécins Sans Frontières) run health units (polyclinics) in Athens, Thessaloniki and Crete providing free primary health care services, medication and psychosocial support to people who do not have access to the National Health System, primarily undocumented migrants and rejected asylum seekers. The Greek Council for Refugees and the Hellenic Red Cross provide councelling services and psychosocial support at refugee camps. Some of the organisations use interpretation services however this is not a universal practice.
Pavlou M. - Prearis K. (2010), RAXEN Thematic Study: Racist and related hate crimes in the EU - Greece, HLHR-KEMO/i-RED. available on http://www.i-red.eu/?i=institute.en.publications.210
MIGHEALTHNET, National Capodistrian University of Athens, Έκθεση για την υγεία των μεταναστών στην Ελλάδα, (03.2009), http://www.mighealth.net/el/index.php/, english summary: http://www.mighealth.net/el/images/f/f7/Greek_State_of_the_Art_Report_-_English_Summary.pdf
Greece until recently had a very poor record in the promotion of political and civic participation of migrants. With the Law 3838/2010, holders of long-term and indefinite duration residence permits are entitled to participate in the local elections (having the right to be elected as councelors, but not as mayors).
The Law 3838/2010 (Chapter B', Art. 14) provided the right to vote in municipal elections to long-term migrants and political refugees. They can be candidates for municipal councils, but not for mayors or presidents of municipal or local councils (Art. 17).
Government Gazette, 24.03.2010, Νόμος 3838/2010 'Σύγχρονες διατάξεις για την Ελληνική Ιθαγένεια και την πολιτική συμμετοχή ομογενών και νομίμως διαμενόντων μεταναστών και άλλες ρυθμίσεις (Law 3838/2010 'Current provisions for Greek citizenship and political participation of repatriated Greeks and lawfully resident immigrants and other adjustments), http://www.red-network.eu/resources/toolip/doc/2012/11/23/greek-citizenship-law-n-38382010.pdf, Accessed 7.2.2013.
Yes, there were practical obstacles in 2010 elections.
Only 12.762, out of approximately 190.000 entitled to, migrants and refugees were registered with the special electoral rolls provided by the Art. 18 of teh Law 3838/2010. Main problems invoked: lack of information; tight deadlines for the enrollement; bureaucracy.
External Url http://www.ethnos.gr/article.asp?catid=22768&subid=2&pubid=28546962
Yes; only at the local level.
Data Very few, e.g. in Athens municipality less than 10
Only for municipal and local counselors, not for mayors or presidents of local councils (Law 3838/2010, Art. 17)
External Url http://www.protagon.gr/?i=protagon.el.article&id=3927
The religious leaders (Mufti) of the officially recognised 'Muslim minority in Thrace' (north-east of the country), who are appointed by the Greek state and not elected, have certain jurisdiction on matters of family and heritage law.
External Url http://www2.mfa.gr/www.mfa.gr/el-GR/Policy/Multilateral+Diplomacy/International+Issues/HumanRights/THRACE+MINORITY.htm
Yes, at the local level.
The Law 3536/2007 provided for the establishment of a National Committee for the Integration of Migrants, but no representatives of migrants would participate (Art. 1.2).
By the Art. 78 of the Law 3852/2010 (called Plan Kallikrates for the local government), in each municiaplity a Council for the Integration of Migrants is established with the participation of 5-11 members, among whom representatives of migrants.
External Url http://www.dsanet.gr/Epikairothta/Nomothesia/n3536_07.htm, http://www.eetaa.gr/kallikratis/nomosxedio/Nomos_3852_2010.pdf
External Url http://www.eetaa.gr/kallikratis/nomosxedio/Nomos_3852_2010.pdf
Although there is no data vailable, third country nationals are excluded from employment in the public sector, while minorities are underrepresented.
Yes, under conditions. However, the 5.2.2013 decision of Council of State declared unconstitutional the 2010 Citizenship Law. "As a result of the final decision of the plenum of the supreme judicial institution, all procedures granting Greek citizenship after the enactment of the law in 2010 until today are expected to be cancelled" in view of a new law on this matter.
Law 3838/2010 (Art. 1A.1) stipulates that a child of migrants' who have been living legally in the country for the last five years is entitled to citizenship acquisition by birth [1].
However, the 5.2.2013 decision of Council of State declared unconstitutional the 2010 Citizenship Law. "As a result of the final decision of the plenum of the supreme judicial institution, all procedures granting Greek citizenship after the enactment of the law in 2010 until today are expected to be cancelled. The law entitled the children of immigrants who were born in Greece and studied at a Greek school for six years to Greek citizenship. Along with this, the results of local elections in the municipalities where immigrants from non-member countries of the European Union voted are likely to be revised under the same law again. In the reasoning for its decision, the senior judiciary states that the provisions of the law are contrary to the Constitution because the conditions for the acquisition of Greek citizenship regulated by them are formal and insufficient. They are related to the applicant or his family’s time of residence in Greece, the attendance of a Greek school for a certain period of time and a clean criminal record. According to the Supreme Administrative Court, the most significant gap in the law is that it does not provide for a procedure to demonstrate the relationship of the applicant with the Greek nation. Furthermore, the magistrates add that the Constitution entitles only Greek citizens to vote and run in elections. Therefore, it is not possible for people who are not Greek citizens to be entitled to it without making the relevant amendments being made to the Constitution." [2 & 3]
Data Seven years; for political refugees, 3 years
According to Article 2 of the Law 3838/2010, the article 5 of the Nationality Code has been amended. The conditions for naturalisation, apart from the minimum legal stay, require that the candidate should not have been condemned for a series of crimes, should not be under deportation proceedings, and he/she should hold a long duration title of residence, such as long-term residence permit, residence permit for family members of EU citizen, recognised political refugee etc.
Greece until recently had a very poor record in political and civic participation of migrants. With the Law 3838/2010, holders of long-term and indefinite duration residence permits are entitled to participate in the local elections. Another positive step has been the establishment by law in each municipality of the Local Councils for the Integration (Law 3852/2010). Nationality Code has also been amended through Law 3838/2010 towards a more jus soli direction.
The "Integrated Action Plan for the Regular Adjustment and Social Integration of Third country Nationals who reside legally in the Greek Territory" (Programme HESTIA) took shape through the Common Ministerial Decision KYA 25057/2008, specifying the objectives, the structure, the procedure and the institutions that will implement integration policy. In November 2011, the Integrated action Plan was amended by the General Secretariat of Population & Social Cohesion and formed the National Strategy for the Integration of Third Country Nationals.
The National Strategy includes the following specific axes comprised of more specific actions:
Information-Services (welcoming courses, information campaigns, access to social services, training of civil servants, networking)
Education-Greek Language
Employment/Vocational Training (employment insertion, promotion of enterpreneurship, vocational training)
Civic participation (voting rights, local councils of migrants' integration, migrant associations-NGOs, citizenship)
Promotion of the Equal treatment principle (combatting discriminations, awareness-raising against racist phenomena)
Interculturalism (intercultural dialogue, interfaith dialogue, artistic/cultural, sportive activities)
Tergeted social groups (women, children - young - second generation migrants, elderly, disabled persons)
Design and evaluation of social integration projects
For more information, see European Integration Fund in Greece (http://ete.ypes.gr/index.html)
An Integrated Action Plan for the Social Integration of Greek Roma was also enacted in 2001, aiming at the amelioration of housing conditions and at the improvement of access to services.
For more, see: Pavlou M., Lykovardi K., Hormovitis D., Prokopi I. (2009), Housing Conditions of Roma in Greece. Vicious Circles & Consolidated Myths, RAXEN Thematic report, HLHR-KEMO/i-RED. Available online on: http://www.i-red.eu/resources/publications-files/hlhr-kemo-i-red_romahousing_greece2009.pdf
External Url http://ete.ypes.gr/
According to the Law 3386/2005 (art. 65.1): "Social integration aims at providing third country nationals with rights, which ensure on the one hand their analogous equal participation in the financial, social and cultural life of the country and on the other aim at the obligatory respect of the fundamental rules and values of the Hellenic society, (…), while retaining their national identity".
External Url http://ete.ypes.gr/thesmiko_plaisio/ethniki_nomothesia/nomoi/N.3386_2005%20%CE%95%CE%AF%CF%83%CE%BF%CE%B4%CE%BF%CF%82,%20%CE%B4%CE%B9%CE%B1%CE%BC%CE%BF%CE%BD%CE%AE%20%CE%BA%CE%B1%CE%B9%20%CE%BA%CE%BF%CE%B9%CE%BD%CF%89%CE%BD%CE%B9%CE%BA%CE%AE%20%CE%AD%C...
Third country nationals who reside legally in the country and Roma.
The National strategy for the integration of third-country nationals provides the main axes of policies and interventions that are undertaken through the Annual Programmes of the European Integration Fund - Greece (2007-2013).
The Integrated Action Plan for the Social Integration of Greek Roma the main programme implemented was the Programme of housing loans to Greek Roma, which ‘promoted the housing of Roma, prioritising those who live under inappropriate conditions, and who face social exclusion due to other objective circumstances’.
Source: Pavlou M., Lykovardi K., Hormovitis D., Prokopi I. (2009), Housing Conditions of Roma in Greece. Vicious Circles & Consolidated Myths, RAXEN Thematic report, HLHR-KEMO/i-RED.
External Url http://ete.ypes.gr/matia.html; http://www.i-red.eu/resources/publications-files/hlhr-kemo-i-red_romahousing_greece2009.pdf
Not the strategy as such.
According to the evaluation of MIPEX, "after previous governments’ limited integration actions (e.g. Estia programme), Greece made the greatest overall progress of any MIPEX country (+10) with just 3 laws from the new government, though politicised among right-wing parties. Immigrants and their descendants may see slight improvements in all MIPEX areas, except longterm residence and anti-discrimination.To know whether these reforms are properly implemented in practice, Greece must develop a culture of using statistics and policy evaluation for integration. Greece’s integration policies are now average for Europe, scoring in-between new countries of immigration in Southern Europe. Policies are also more coherent, with strands ranging from 40 to 57 instead of 18 to 56. Both political participation and citizenship were improved in the same law, with reference to European standards and established immigration countries’ policies. Where most European countries do best (family reunion, longterm residence, anti-discrimination), Greece only follows minimum standards from EU law."
For the Housing loan programme for Greek Roma, the RAXEN report on Roma housing conditions mentions: "The programme was initially adopted in 2002 and was repeatedly amended in order to facilitate access to the procedure, and to make its implementation more flexible. It is noted that the loan programme is financially entirely covered by the national state budget. Until 30 Janaury 2009 a total of 7,686 decisions recognising housing support beneficiaries have been issued, accounting for 85.4 per cent of the total planned number of loans to be granted. 6,151 housing loans have been allocated after the beneficiaries agreed a contract with a bank (80 per cent of the approved loan grants). It is also noted that in total, 32,881 funding applications have been submitted to 306 municipalities. However, as the Interior Ministry points out, more applications have been submitted by the same persons, or submitted twice in different stages, or were submitted by non-beneficiaries, thus by people not needing housing support. Despite its large financial scale and its multi-annual duration of implementation, the programme has received criticism for its high costs, the priorities it set, and the effectiveness of its implementation, questioning the final accomplishment of its objectives. More precisely, several problems identified by civil society are: the loan programme cannot satisfy the needs of all the applicants living under similar conditions; it is a
family-based progamme (individual loans per family unit) and cannot accrue to the needs of existing Roma settlements and wider communities. It is disputable if Roma beneficiaries will be in a position to repay, due to a lack of regular incomes; a high proportion of loans being granted to well-integrated Roma.
External Url http://www.mipex.eu/greece; http://www.i-red.eu/resources/publications-files/hlhr-kemo-i-red_romahousing_greece2009.pdf
Not as such. Social cohesion is mentioned as a main objective of the integration policy.
According to the National Strategy for the Integration of Third Country Nationals (ch. 2.1), "The notion of social cohesion constitutes a central political idea of the European Union and of our country. Social cohesion draws specific emphasis upon the participation and the social prosperity of all groups of the population while it considers the establishment of harmonious social relations fundamental for economic and social life. (...) Main priority of the Greek state is the promotion of the social cohesion of the whole population of the country and the common benefit of prosperity without limitations and discriminations."
Only in relation and as objective of the Social Integration.
According to the National Strategy for the Integration of Third Country Nationals (ch. 2.1), "The notion of social cohesion constitutes a central political idea of the European Union and of our country. Social cohesion draws specific emphasis upon the participation and the social prosperity of all groups of the population while it considers the establishment of harmonious social relations fundamental for economic and social life."
It applies to documented migrants.
No evaluation possible, since there is no social/community cohesion strategies as such, but social cohesion is the objective of social integration.
Several projects and actions have been undertaken within the Annual Porgrammes of the European Integration Fund in Greece, but there has been no systemic, official or unofficial evaluation until now.
The main criticism addressed mainly by NGOs insisted on the limited scope and doubtful systainability of actions.
External Url http://ete.ypes.gr/polietes.html
From the National Startegy for the Integration of Third Country Nationals:
"During the last years the objective of integration and the promotion of social cohesion have been growingly joined up as political questions. In the framework of this joining, it is recognised that the safeguard of social cohesion depends more and more on the succes of integration of migrant populations, while on the contrary, phenomena of non integration and marginalisation constitute a threat for the establishment of conditions that assure social cohesion."
ECRI recommended in its 4th report on Greece that the Greek authorities investigate allegations of discrimination against members of the Macedonian and Turkish communities and take adequate measures to address them, including by ensuring the implementation of the relevant legislation where necessary. ECRI also strongly recommended that the Greek authorities take steps to recognize the right to selfidentification of these groups.
In addition, ECRI recommended that the Greek authorities ensure the respect and enforcement of the right to self-identification of everyone living in Western Thrace and that measures be taken to ensure that none suffer any form of pressure or discrimination in this regard, and that steps be taken to foster dialogue and mutual acceptance among these groups.
The right to peaceful assembly is protected by art. 11 and the right to association by the art. 12 of the Constitution.
External Url http://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/8c3e9046-78fb-48f4-bd82-bbba28ca1ef5/SYNTAGMA.pdf
Officially no, but in practice yes.
Nevertheless, the ECRI fourth report on Greece, noted that there serious shortcomings and obstacles by the state towards the recognition of identity and setting the conditions for the exercise of the freedom of association by minority groups in Greece. In particular, the ECRI reported that ‘representatives of the Macedonian community have expressed their feelings of discrimination, inter alia, as concerns the use of their names in their own language and failure to bring cases of hate speech in the media against Macedonians to court. Representatives of the Turkish community in Western Thrace have also stated that recognition of their identity is among the most important problems they face along with education and the right to religious freedom.’
In addition, the UN CERD expressed its concern about the obstacles encountered by some ethnic groups in exercising the freedom of association and noted the forced dissolution and refusal to register some associations including words such as “minority”, “Turkish” or “Macedonian”. The CERD in its 2009 report on Greece recommended that the State party ‘adopt measures to ensure the effective enjoyment by persons belonging to every community or group of their right to freedom of association and of their cultural rights, including the use of mother languages’.
External Url http://www.hellenicparliament.gr/UserFiles/8c3e9046-78fb-48f4-bd82-bbba28ca1ef5/SYNTAGMA.pdf; http://hudoc.ecri.coe.int/XMLEcri/ENGLISH/Cycle_04/04_CbC_eng/GRC-CbC-IV-2009-031-ENG.pdf; http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/CERD.C.GRC.19EN.doc
Legal no, but practical yes.
The most notable case is of the Muslims residing outside the Western Thrace region. The UN CERD expressed its concern about ‘information on certain specific difficulties encountered by Muslims belonging to different ethnic groups to practice their religion’.
In fact, there is a total lack of a mosque outside western Thrace despite the existence of a large Muslim, mostly migrant, community especially in Athens. Muslims exercise their religious duties at improvised informal mosques in appartments. These difficulties fomented also the reactions to an islamophobic incident reported in Athens in May 2009.
External Url http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/CERD.C.GRC.19EN.doc
There are no positive measures for promoting migrant and minority media.
Data Several newspapers based on migrant initiatives
On the contrary, there are legal restrictions for migrant and minority media.
As Pavlou, M. (2010), Complementary Data Collection: Contribution to the FRA Annual Report 2010, i-red/HLHR-KEMO reports:
[The use of specific languages in media] is rather penalized than encouraged. As the ECRI noted in its fourth report on Greece, Law 3592/2007 on the “Concentration and Licensing of Media Enterprises and Other Provisions” adopted on 16 July 2007 provides that the main broadcasting language for radio programmes should be Greek. A number of other requirements on the minimum human and financial resources required to obtain a licence risk endangering smaller regional and minority media.[1] According to the OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media, Mr. Miklos Haraszti, who intervened in 2007, this law “endangers pluralism by putting a high threshold for minority, community or low-cost broadcasters”.[2]
[1] ECRI Report on Greece, Fourth Monitoring Cycle, 15.09.2009, p.48 http://www.coe.int/t/dghl/monitoring/ecri/Country-by-country/Greece/GRC-CbC-IV-2009-031-ENG.pdf.
[2] OSCE Press release: New radio licensing law in Greece restricts minority media, says OSCE media freedom watchdog, available at: http://www.osce.org/fom/item_1_25793.html (27.07.2007). Similar reactions were observed from the Thrace Muslim minority representatives and the press.
External Url http://www.i-red.eu/?i=institute.en.publications.210
Both restrictions and positive measures.
Restrictions are imposed by the Law 3592/2007, which provides that the main broadcasting language for radio programmes should be Greek.
At the level of positive measures, there are some good practices:
The Athens Muncipal Radio special frequency for foreign audience is a notable example. Air 104.4 FM was created in 2004 in the occasion of the Olympic games and in order to cover the needs of Olympic games visitors. However, it stayed after the games and soon became an information and entertaining network in English, Russian, Albanian, German, Spanish, Italian, Arab, French, Chinese, Bulgarian, Polish, Romanian and Phlippinos languages.
Another example is the Radio Friendship (Filia), part of the national broadcasting ERT, has programmes in 12 languages.
External Url http://www.athina984.gr/1044fm; http://tvradio.ert.gr/radio/index.asp?id=18
Disproportionate under-representation of migrants in all sports.
"The extremely low participation of migrants in sport, both as athletes and fans and even lower as officials or administrative staff and media is due to:
a) de jure limitation to participate on the basis of regulations in force restricting participation of non-Greek athletes.
b) de facto limitation to participate on the basis of their administrative and residence status, related to a dysfunctional migration legislation and lack of a naturalisation/citizenship path for second and third generation of immigrants.
c) de facto limitation to participate on the basis of racist attitudes and fear of victimisation. A striking example is the racist violence against migrants (Albanians, Africans, Asians) in summer 2004, when they tried to celebrate the Greek National Football team success in winning the Euro2004.
d) a de jure and de facto limitation to participate in athletes’ unions resulting from their statutes’ clear orientation in representing and protecting interests of Greek athletes, according to the interviewed representatives of athletes."
"All sports seem equally affected, particularly when it comes to representation of ethnic groups at leading positions, officials, unionists and also as fans. However, for all sports the most negative regulations are reported at amateur level.
Roma seem to be the most affected group, mostly due to socio-economic reasons.
The Muslim minority of Thrace is an exception, albeit only at local level. Members of the minority are elected in the local unions of the federation and participate as officials in local amateur clubs. However, their participation is notably confined to Western Thrace and apparently they do not participate proportionally as athletes, supporters, trainers or officials in leading positions on a national level."