RACISM IS PERSISTENT

GREEK HELSINKI MONITOR

(Greek National Committee of the International Helsinki Federation)

& MINORITY RIGHTS GROUP - GREECE

(Greek Affiliate of Minority Rights Group International)

P.O. Box 51393, GR-14510 Kifisia, Greece; tel. 30-1-620.01.20; fax: 30-1-807.57.67;

e-mail: office@greekhelsinki.gr      http://www.greekhelsinki.gr/

 

 

PRESS RELEASE

 

20/3/1998

 

TOPIC: RACISM IS PERSISTENT

 

On the occasion of the International Day Against Racism, the cooperating organizations Greek Helsinki Monitor and Minority Rights Group-Greece would like to remind everyone of the distance between pledges and real acts. Even after the lapse of the “European Year Against Racism”, the phenomena of xenophobia and racial intolerance still prevail in Greek society.

 

Our organizations wish to emphasize that the decision of the Council of Ministers over the abolition of the racist Article 19 of the Code of Greek Citizenship has not yet been put into practice. No relevant legislative bill has been introduced in Parliament so far. Stateless persons who have received special identity cards are still confronted with many administrative problems posed by the public services which refuse to accept these IDs as valid. At the same time, very few people know that the special legal status of the infamous “restricted area” of Thrace has been abolished for Greek citizens only. The latter may travel through it under the strict surveillance by the secret service. In other words, Greek authorities violate the right to free circulation, which is guaranteed by the Treaty of Maastricht, because they can arbitrarily refuse entrance to foreign citizens, even to citizens of the European Union.

 

This year’s International Day Against Racism finds in progress the procedure of legalizing immigrants in Greece. Despite the specific legal provisions and circulars, as well as the assurances of the authorities, arrests and committals of immigrants for illegal entrance continue to take place, and judicial deportation is imposed upon them systematically. The most tragic thing is that no legal care has been provided for those who have already been convicted for working illegally in the past.

 

It should be emphasized that the procedures for issuing the necessary documents are very time-consuming. The Ministry of Justice fixes November 1998 as the last date for accepting the copy of the penal record. In the countryside hospitals are said to demand compensation for the required medical exams. The immigrants are submitted to the unprecedented humiliation of standing in line for many hours. It is worth mentioning that many employers are unwilling to insure their foreign workers, since the state has not made it worth their while.

 

Our organizations denounce the punitive character of a recent ministerial decision concerning conscientious objectors. In particular, those who choose an alternative civilian service are awarded the disgraceful amount of 50,000 drs. The legislation on COs does not meet the international standards. The fact is that for human rights activists there are very few reasons for celebration on this International Day Against Racism, since there are many remnants of institutional authoritarianism still in existence.

 

We would like to point out that Greek legislation still includes authoritarian provisions about proselytism and temples; reference to one’s religion on identity cards; severe punishment of illegal immigrants (N. 1975/91); “incitement to mutual discord” (P.C. 192); “disturbance of international relations of the state” (P.C. 191) and “support for illegal acts” (P.C. 184). It is clear that no effort has been made to separate Church and State so that real and absolute freedom of religious conscience can be guaranteed. The conditions of life in the Roma settlements continue to be miserable, which proves that the Greek government does not apply a long-term, consistent, permanent, viable or effective policy in this field.

 

Finally, journalists are condemned because they severely criticize Ministers; innocent users of drugs are brought before the District Attorney; state employees are fired because of behavior in their private life, and Committees of Parliament require “Certificates of National Beliefs” from university professors. Once again the recognition of the right to collective self-determination of minorities remains a distant vision.