The government’s firm will to prevent the invasion of illegal migrants from Libya and the coast of North Africa was underlined by Thanos Plevris, while strongly criticizing the opposition parties for not supporting the amendment to suspend asylum.

Watch the debate live in the Parliament

“Yesterday alone, of the 507 people who entered the country illegally, 495 were men and 16 were women, said the Minister of Immigration and Asylum, making it clear.

Plevris also accused PASOK of criticism, noting that although Harilaou Trikoupi MPs argue that the amendment violates the Constitution, they are preparing to vote “present”.

“In 2024, about 4,000 migrants came to our country from the coast of North Africa. In the first seven months of 2025, the number doubled. Lately we have more than a thousand people a day,” he said at another point to point out the “invasion” characteristics that the phenomenon has taken on, while addressing the KKE, SYRIZA, New Left and KKE, he said: “The Left as a whole tells us that anyone who comes must be registered and given asylum. All of us, the whole of the EU, must say that everyone who comes here must be welcomed and that all those who come must be welcomed. Do you understand what you are asking for?”

Specifically to SYRIZA, who protested the ministry’s intention to review all the benefits received by migrants, he said: “Don’t worry, gentlemen of SYRIZA, we will not make More. Such conditions were SYRIZA’s. In 2019, you left us with 229 thousand pending asylum applications. Today, the pending cases are only 29 thousand.”

As for PASOK‘s proposal to maintain the current situation but with shortened deadlines for asylum examination and deportation of those who are not entitled to it, he said: “What you are proposing in essence gives them the possibility to move freely in Greece for at least 6 months. PASOK’s proposal describes a simple registration, application for asylum, and free movement within Greece. What we say: we suspend the filing of the asylum application and activate the immediate return. But returns are not an easy process. However, we are not going to send a signal to those who are waiting in Libya, “come to Crete and we will accommodate you in our structures, you can apply for asylum and then you can walk around in Greece.”

Finally, Plevris commented on the KKE‘s choice to talk about a violation of the Geneva Convention. “I was surprised. The KKE told us about a violation of the Geneva Convention. The Geneva Convention was made to protect people fleeing the Soviet Union; they wanted to get away with it. I am surprised that the KKE is invoking it.”

Liberty Workers’ Party’s constitutionality objection was voted down

It should be noted, however, that the objection of unconstitutionality filed by Plefsi Eleftherias was voted down by the majority, while it was supported by PASOK, SYRIZA, KKE, and New Left.

Earlier, Pavlos Christides of PASOK initially claimed that “the situation is serious” and then added that “the amendment serves communication needs. It makes a hole in the water. It introduces far-right rhetoric to change the agenda.”

Hellenic Solution representative Konstantinos Hitas also referred to a communicative regulation, although he noted that his party will vote for it.

The president of the Electoral Alliance, Zoe Konstantopoulou, called the amendment “legislation of pushbacks” and “a nightmarish metamorphosis of democracy.”

Ms Peti Perka of the New Left spoke of “blatant regression and blatant violation of human rights. Crete does not need new Amygdales but integration institutions, hospitality structures, humanity and justice.”

From the KKE, Ms Diamanto Manolakou said that “the amendment is cruel, brutal, shameful and racist, violating the Geneva Convention”, while Mr. George Psychogios from SYRIZA said: “We have arrived after years to hear the shameful things Plevris said. The amendment is institutional racism.”

Today’s vote on the amendment

The immigration amendment is expected to be voted on today, following the problem created by the increased flows from Libya in recent days.

PASOK is expected to vote “present”, while SYRIZA, KKE, and Nea Aristera have announced that they will vote “no” on the bill.

The Immigration and Asylum Ministry’s regulation provides for the temporary suspension of asylum applications for people who enter the country illegally, using any waterborne means of transport originating from North Africa. Such persons are immediately returned, without registration, to their country of origin or origin.