Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris reported that smuggling networks, through text messages in early July—at the time when mass flows toward Crete were recorded—were urging would-be migrants to head to Greece instead of Italy.

“Do not go there (meaning Italy), move toward Greece, Crete, and Gavdos. It is the safest journey and the country has a flexible framework. So when you also have information that suddenly the networks begin making an aggressive move, won’t you react? You will react—and you will react with diplomacy, with better protection, with deterrence, and with legislation. This specific one,” he stated.

Without going into detail about the senders of the messages, Plevris confirmed to parliamentary reporters that it was a mass message directed at migrants.

The bill is expected to be voted on next Tuesday, while the minister announced that by the end of the year, a bill on legal migration will also be submitted.

Opposition reactions

Opposition parties described the bill as ineffective and racist. PASOK’s rapporteur, Nadia Giannakopoulou, characterized the measures as “big words” and communication-driven regulations aimed at specific audiences.

SYRIZA’s special rapporteur Giorgos Psychogios accused the government of returning to “pro-Trump policies” and called for the bill’s withdrawal.

Diamanto Manolakou, on behalf of the Communist Party (KKE), charged the government with creating “scarecrows” and “enemies” while fueling racism and xenophobia, intensifying repression and terror against workers and the people.

“You are dismantling the right to asylum,” said Zoe Konstantopoulou to the minister, accusing the government of targeting asylum seekers by portraying them as “major criminals.”