2665c59f   
   XPost: soc.culture.greek, soc.culture.europe   
   From: mixmaster@gpftor3.privacyfoundation.de   
      
   Treatment of migrants is to Greece's shame   
      
   According to the government ombudsman's office, the number of immigrants   
   turning to the office for assistance has increased, especially in   
   Attica. The means of reporting delays and red tape in residence permits   
   and citizenships is revealed.   
   Thursday, April 10, 2008   
   By Kathy Tzilivakis   
      
      
   Of all the local government offices and agencies cited in the   
   ombudsman's new annual report, the new immigration department at the   
   regional office (perifereia) of Attica stands out with the worst record.   
      
   "We saw an increased number of cases concerning this immigration   
   office," Ombudsman George Kaminis - the country's top bulwark against   
   maladministration - told reporters on April 1. "It is clear this   
   [office] is lacking in organisation."   
      
   Under immigration law 3386/2005, the perifereia is responsible for   
   examining applications for residence permits. The situation at the   
   regional office of Attica is especially hectic because it services as   
   many as 150,000 non-European Union immigrants.   
      
   The government had hoped to improve the situation by relocating the   
   office to a new, fully-computerised facility in November 2005. Interior   
   Minister Prokopis Pavlopoulos had promised the new facility would shred   
   the red tape to facilitate timely processing of applications for the   
   issuing of residence permits.   
      
   According to Kaminis, who has served as the country's ombudsman since   
   2003, the number of immigrants turning to him for assistance has   
   increased significantly. "The number of economic migrants is constantly   
   on the rise," he said.   
      
   For instance, of the 2,435 cases investigated by Andreas Takis, the   
   deputy ombudsman for human rights, 67 percent of them were submitted by   
   immigrants. They are mainly Albanians (18 percent) and Pakistanis (17   
   percent). Half of all the cases examined by Takis last year concerned   
   immigration rules and regulations.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)