Newsletter on Immigration to Greece
Editor: Ioannis Kolovos
(Another) ring which provided foreigners with residence permits smashed
Four employees of the Prefecture of Central Macedonia are being charged with providing foreigners with residence permits although these foreigners did not have the required documentation. The ring operated during 2009 and 2010 and had issued in that fashion hundreds of residence permits.
A relevant article (Eleftherotypia, 29/3/2011) can be read here (in Greek only)
Cyprus: the no. 1 destination for asylum seekers in Europe
According to Eurostat data for 2010 Cyprus tops the table of European destinations for asylum seekers with 3,600 applications per 1 million inhabitants, followed by Sweden (3,400 applications). Greece received 910 applications per 1 million inhabitants (down from 1,415 in 2009). Nevertheless, the applications in Greece were much higher than the EU average of 515 applications.
A relevant article (Kathimerini, 30/3/2011) can be read here (in Greek only)
Foreigner population poses a major demographic challenge for Greece
According to recent Eurostat data 954,800 foreigners live and work in Greece, representing 8.4% of the country’s population. Only 163,100 (1.4%) come from other EU countries while 7% come from countries outside the EU. The EU average for the total foreigner population is 6.5% while the average for the non-EU foreigner population is 4%. This means that Greece has a larger foreign population than the EU average and that this population originates from outside the EU in a much larger scale than the relevant EU average. At the same time the fertility rate (children per woman) in Greece is much lower than the replacement rate (1.52 compared to 2.1 needed for the replacement of a generation).
The relevant Eurostat report can be read in full here (in English)
Two dead after severe clashes between Pakistanis and Albanian Roma at the Ano Liossia landfill
Severe clashes took place between Pakistani immigrants and Albanian Roma at the Ano Liossia landfill. The clashes resulted in two dead Pakistanis and another one injured as the Roma attacked them with shotguns. The Pakistanis retreated, but returned to the site in greater numbers, and then burned to the ground the Roma camp near the landfill.
Wikileaks revelations on Greece’s illegal immigration issue continue
More Wikileaks telegrams were publicized by “Kathimerini” newspaper. They reveal the US Embassy’s worries that islamist extremists may enter Greece among illegal immigrants.
The relevant article (Kathimerini, 17/4/2011) can be read here (in Greek only)
Europol: Illegal immigration may pose a national security threat
Europol’s latest report on Terrorism in the EU warns that “The current and future flow of immigrants originating from North Africa could have an influence on the EU’s security situation. Individuals with terrorist aims could easily enter Europe amongst the
large numbers of immigrants”.
Europol’s “EU Terrorism Situation and Trend Report” for 2011 can be read here (in English)
Ministry for Citizen’s Protection General Secretary: “Immigrant inflows to Greece are of tsunami proportions”
Ministry for Citizen’s Protection General Secretary Mr Gregory Tassoulas argues that “The immigrant wave [to Greece] is actually of tsunami proportions compared with immigrant inflows to other countries”.
Mr Tassoulas’ interview (Ethnos, 22/4/2011) can be read in full here (in Greek only)