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Greece has submitted a bill to parliament aimed at increasing penalties for migrant trafficking, including life sentences, the country’s migration ministry announced on Saturday.
The legislation comes in ongoing legal cases against aid workers and migrants accused of smuggling.
“Penalties for the illegal trafficking of migrants will be toughened at all levels,” the ministry said, noting that smugglers could face life imprisonment while migrants convicted of offences may be expelled.
The proposals also criminalise assistance provided by those with legal status to irregular migrants.
Migration Minister Thanos Plevris, a former far-right party member, said the bill also strengthens penalties for Non-governmental Organisation(NGO) members prosecuted for migrant trafficking, with prison terms in view.
Parliament is expected to review the legislation next week.
The move has drawn criticism from 56 NGOs, including the Greek branches of Doctors of the World and Doctors Without Borders, who called for the withdrawal of provisions that classify certain activities as crimes punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines of tens of thousands of euros.
They also condemned the ministry’s power to remove organisations from the registry solely on the basis of charges against one member, without a conviction.
The controversy follows the acquittal of 24 aid workers on January 15, including Syrian swimmer Sarah Mardini, who had faced up to 20 years in prison for allegedly forming a criminal organisation and facilitating illegal entry into Greece.
Under the proposed law, the ministry aims to promote legal migration by easing hiring procedures for workers from third countries, introducing a new visa for high-tech employees, issuing residence permits to international students, and offering vocational training for refugees and asylum seekers in sectors facing labour shortages, including construction, agriculture, and tourism.
