Kathy Tzilivakis

By Kathy Tzilivakis

 

THE GOVERNMENT faces a tough job convincing opponents of the merits of its new draft law aimed at making it easier for immigrants and their Greece-born children to obtain Greek citizenship.

 

Antonis Samaras, main opposition New Democracy leader, is one of the most vociferous critics. Samaras has fiercely attacked the proposed citizenship rules, arguing they will create more problems than they solve. He says he fears they will encourage undocumented migrants to have babies in Greece in hopes of securing residence. 

 

“Now they [Pasok] bring us a draft for the immediate and unconditional naturalisation of all immigrants who have found themselves in Greece,” said Samaras, former culture minister. “The government is swerving to legalise everyone [undocumented immigrants] and to encourage even more to come. We are warning the government to think again.

 

“Our position is that we should integrate as many [immigrants] that Greek society can handle,” Samaras added, “and not to invite all and to give citizenship to all.”

 

Samaras is not alone. Selling the new draft citizenship rules to the public has not been easy. The government’s proposals have received a low level of public support, based on the results of an online public consultation platform launched by Pasok soon after coming to power in October. 

 

However, reforming the country’s outdated citizenship policy is a personal priority for Prime Minister George Papandreou - the only politician in Greece to publicly declare he has experienced life as an immigrant.

 

According to sources at the interior ministry, Papandreou is dogged about using his party’s majority in parliament to ignore opposition and push through the reforms.

 

“Our message is clear,” Interior Minister Ragousis told reporters on January 20. “The country must proceed with these reforms in order to create the conditions for the equal social integration of legal economic migrants.”

 

As reported in the Athens News last month, the government is requiring the parents of immigrant children to be legal and permanent residents in Greece.

 

Permanent residence in Greece is extremely difficult to secure. Only an estimated 65,000 immigrants in Greece have managed to secure longterm and permanent residence permits. This is only 13 percent of the total number of immigrants legally residing in Greece. 

 

 

The bill also makes it easier for immigrant adults to become Greeks. To be eligible, immigrants must prove they have lived in Greece legally for five years in the 10 years preceding the date of their application. 

 

Under existing legislation, Greece is a jus sanguinis (Latin for “right of blood”) state that only recognises citizenship by blood. A person’s citizenship is determined by his or her parents’ citizenship, so only those with blood ties to Greece may be Greek citizens.

 

Papandreou’s push to redesign Greece’s citizenship code is aimed at finally addressing the growing number of children - an estimated quarter of a million - born in Greece to immigrant parents.

 

Acquiring Greek citizenship through the process of naturalisation is an overlong and daunting process filled with paperwork, personal interviews and a hefty and non-refundable 1,500 euro application fee. It can take up to a decade for an application to be reviewed.