Greece grants citizenship to children of immigrants

With 179 votes in favor, 106 votes against and 16 abstentions, the Greek Parliament on June 24 passed a bill granting citizenship to children of immigrants born and raised in the country.

Afghan migrants arrive off the Greek island of Kos as they cross the Aegean Sea between Türkiye and Greece. (Source: AFP/VNA)

The bill, introduced into parliament by Greek Immigration Minister Tasia Christodoulopoulou, was passed with the support of the ruling radical left-wing Syriza party, as well as the Social Democratic party Pasok and the center-left Potami group.

Speaking before parliament, Minister Christodoulopoulou affirmed that despite many difficulties, immigrants should continue to stay in Greece, and their children will also have the right to become citizens of this country.

According to some migration experts, the passage of the bill marks an important step forward for Athens, erasing the government's previous xenophobic and unfair decisions and helping to solve a problem that has been lingering for many years.

The draft law is expected to be discussed in more detail this week.

Xenophobia is increasingly spreading in Greece - one of the main gateways for migrants to illegally enter Europe, in the context of the country being engulfed in a debt crisis./.

According to VIETNAM+