|
|
|
Athens News Agency: News in English, 10-07-05
CONTENTS
[01] ND leader Samaras on migration issues
[01] ND leader Samaras on migration issues
Main opposition New Democracy (ND) leader Antonis Samaras pledged on
Monday evening that his party would abolish a ruling PASOK law granting
Greek nationality to immigrants and accused the government of
introducing "dissolving phenomena in Greek society".
Addressing an event organised by ND's section on migration, Samaras
said that his party was obliged to change the government's legislation.
"We are obliged to change this law, when New Democracy comes into
office. And we are now committing ourselves to do it."
Referring to his party's proposal on dealing with the issue, Samaras
said: "The children of legal immigrants that are born here, they will
be granted nationality at the age of eighteen. But in order to exercise
this right they must first chose among Greek nationality and the
nationality of the country of origin of their parents and, secondly,
they must have completed a nine-year education that is obligatory for
Greek children. They will be given the right at the moment of their
birth, but they will exercise it at the age of eighteen. With minimum
proconditions."
With the above regulation, Samaras added, "Greece does not become a
magnet for immigrants."
Criticising the PASOK government, the main opposition leader further
said: "All those who really see the danger of racism, all those who
really want to resist racism, fully understand the importance of a
gradual incorporation (of immigrants) through Education and Culture.
All those who want mass naturalization of all through 'automatic
procedures' and without safety valves, do not want incorporation. They
simply attract even more illegal immigrants. And they are thus setting
off tensions and dissolving phenomena within the Greek society."
|
