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Deputy Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection Yannis Panousis suggests that if Greece’s European partners does not hear its voice on the issue of illegal immigrants it will proceed to the unilateral violation of the Schengen Agreement as a last resort to solve the problem.
 
"If Europeans do not understand what we say, then let us break the Schengen Agreement and give documents to 300,000 immigrants who will scatter around Europe", Yannis Panousis told Skai TV journalist Pavlos Tsimas on Sunday, stressing, however, that this was his personal opinion.

"It will take two years to change the Dublin Agreement but Greece will have 2.5 million illegal immigrants until then", noted Panousis.

Meanwhile, the gradual release of those illegal immigrants who are detained at the centre in Amigdaleza will begin tomorrow, 24 February. Those foreign citizens who have spent six months at the centre will be released first, provided that they submit a permanent address and appear at the police station in residence every 1st and 15th of the month.

This decision was made at the first meeting of the five-member commission formed by the Ministries of Public Order and Citizen Protection and of Immigrant Policy. Deputy Minister of Public Order Yannis Panousis attended the meeting and later expressed before the media his personal position that Greece might leave the Schengen area. "I am curious to see the reaction of our partners if we open our borders and allow 300,000 illegal immigrants to travel in Western Europe," he threatened. However, when asked by a journalist, he admitted that the consequences of such a decision would be serious for Greece.

As for the centre for immigrants in Amigdaleza, 500 of the total 1,100 foreign citizens there have been detained for more than six months. 100 of them are accused of various crimes and they will remain at the centre until their extradition from the country. The procedure for the release of the remaining 400 will start on Tuesday. The plan provides for the gradual release of about 30 foreign citizens a day. Those illegal immigrants who have been detained for less than 6 months now will remain at the centre whereas the about 60 minors who are currently housed in separate rooms at the centre will be moved if there are vacancies at open accommodation centres, such as hostels managed by NGOs.

More favourable conditions are provided for immigrants who have applied for asylum. The number of illegal immigrants in this category held at Amigdaleza exceeds 200. According to a source of the newspaper Kathimerini, the procedure to consider the applications lasts from 2 to 3 months because of shortage of staff at the service, due to which asylum seekers are detained at the centre in violation of existing legislation. Indicative is the fact that 334 out of 1,064 applications filed in January at the service that provides asylum were submitted by immigrants detained by the authorities.

A senior source from the Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection told the newspaper Kathimerini that some of the existing detention centres for immigrants would continue to function and they would not be converted into open accommodation centres. Illegal immigrants who violate the restrictive conditions imposed on them, including appearing at the police station in residence, as well as those who are caught to illegally enter the country for the first time will be detained there. Moreover, the decision on the fate of the existing centres built with funds from the European Union implies the consent of the European Commission that may reject the decisions of the current Greek government as "unacceptable". For example, the European Commission has blocked for months the conversion of the centre for immigrants in the village of Moria on the island of Lesbos in an open accommodation centre. Also, if the centre in Komotini is closed down, the Ministry of Public Order will have to return all the 700,000 euro granted for its construction.