Greece plans tougher migration law, faster deportations

Greece is preparing legislation to impose stricter penalties on rejected asylum seekers and speed up their return to home countries, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Wednesday. The proposed law, which requires parliamentary approval, will penalize individuals who stay in Greece after being denied asylum and introduce a more efficient deportation system.

Although migrant flows into Greece have declined—down 30% in early 2025 compared to last year—arrivals via new smuggling routes from Libya to Crete and Gavdos have increased. Mitsotakis said the measures are part of efforts to address illegal migration more effectively. Greece remains a key entry point into Europe, having faced significant pressure during the 2015–2016 migration crisis.

The draft legislation follows a recent European Commission proposal to allow EU countries to return rejected asylum seekers to designated safe third countries, aiming to ease the burden on national asylum systems and manage migration more efficiently across the bloc.