Highlights
-Port of Patras immigrant camp demolished as part of nationwide crackdown against illegal immigrants
-Deportation laws strengthened, more detention centers planned
-Immigrant led protests for greater rights, religious tolerance will increase in the near-term
Greek riot police escorted several bulldozers into the Greek port town of Patras over the weekend, part of an operation to clean up a 13-year old makeshift migrant camp. The camp was once home to thousands of illegal refugees, many of whom are from Afghanistan and Pakistan and who use the camp to board vessels bound for Italy and Western Europe. Following a series of large-scale arrests in recent months, the camp was relatively empty prior to the demolition. After the raid, vandals damaged state-owned automobiles, an ATM machine, and a local Patras government building.
A large fire broke out during the demolition, symbolizing to many the heightened significance the issue of illegal immigration is having on Greece. In recent weeks, pro-immigrant groups, trade unions, and leftist groups have held ongoing demonstrations in Athens and other towns calling for greater compassion toward immigrants seeking asylum. The latest protest occurred on July 7 where thousands of immigrants held a protest outside the Greek parliament in Athens against a new law that expedites the deportation process.
Deportation Laws Strengthened
The demolition of the Patras camp represents the beginning of a tougher campaign against areas housing illegal immigrants in Greece. A strong showing by Greece’s right-wing nationalist Laos party in the European Parliament elections suggests the conservative Greek government will step up pressure against immigrant groups in the future.
•The government recently passed a new law that authorizes a detention period of up to six months before deportation for illegal immigrants, as well as sentencing human smugglers up to five years in prison. Currently, human traffickers are charging up to US$8,000 per person for passage out of Greece. The government also plans to build new detention centers to house illegal immigrants dispersed around Athens.
In 2008, Greek authorities arrested roughly 2,000 human smugglers and 146,000 illegal immigrants, 100,000 of whom attempted to gain entry from the Aegean Sea in 2008 We believe attempting to stem growing immigration will be one of Greece’s greatest challenges in the coming years, especially as the effect of the global economic downturn continues to take hold in many Middle Eastern and African countries. As a result, we expect militant leftists and far right extremists to clash with immigrants as additional demonstrations are staged.
Afghan Conflict
The ongoing conflict in Afghanistan continues to generate an increasing wave of new refugees to countries in the European Union (EU), namely Greece. EU rules require asylum seekers to be fingerprinted and sent back to the first safe port of entry to the EU. Often, migrants hope to end up in Italy, France or the United Kingdom. In France, the northern port town of Calais currently holds roughly 1,500 illegals in a makeshift immigrant camp.
The continual flow of displaced and illegal migrants has intensified diplomatic relations between Greece and Turkey. Athens and the EU call for greater security measures in Turkey to help block a common route of illegal immigrants into the EU. Turkish officials have responded that the issue is essentially an EU problem and that it lacks adequate resources to step up efforts to stem the flow. An estimated 47,000 illegal immigrants are believed to have gained entry into Greece from Turkey in 2008.
Outlook
The latest protest in Athens mirrors a protest in June following the alleged defacement of an immigrant’s copy of the Quran. Pro-immigrant groups, leftist, and far right extremists turned out in the thousands to protests for or against the incident.
•Earlier in May, anti-immigrant protests escalated into violence after far-right extremists targeted hundreds of illegal immigrants living illegally in an old Athens courthouse building. Hundreds of members of the neo-Nazi group, Chryssi Avghi (Golden Dawn), clashed with immigrants and police in the ensuing demonstration calling for the “departure of foreigners from Greece.” Self-styled anarchist groups responded with a counter protest, setting fires to trash bins and nearby cars in Athens.
While the construction of new detention centers will likely rid Athens of unsanitary makeshift camps, we believe the new detention centers will fan the flames of conflict between competing ideological parties in Greece. Consequently, far-right extremists, leftist groups, and an emerging group of disenfranchised Muslim minorities will continue demonstrations in downtown Athens for the long-term. We believe immigrant led protests for greater religious recognition and tolerance will increase in frequency in the near-term.
