The extreme situation led to rapid developments and a meeting was held yesterday with the Deputy Minister of Employment Anna Dallara and advisors from the Ministry of Interior. Its purpose was to validate and to provide documents for the immigrants who come under different categories depending on whether they ever had had documents or whether they had arrived in Greece before December 31, 2004 but had no stamp in the passport to prove it, said Giannopoulos. He said that they were assured during the meeting that the Ministry would come up with proposals in the coming days and there would be a meeting between the strikers and their lawyers and the Minister of Interior next week.
"There are around 400,000 immigrants with documents in Greece, as many again who are in a process to obtain documents or have had such but failed to renew them, and around 400 000 immigrants without any documents. We believe all who are illegal and others who have no documents should be legalized. It would be good not only for them but for our health insurance funds too," said Giannopoulos.
Mattresses on which immigrants will sleep in the coming days are arranged in several rooms on the first floor of the Athens Law School. The immigrants are only young men. They have sleeping bags and warm clothes. They left their slippers at the door and settled. Nobody answers the question "Where are you from?". All have agreed just to say 'I am an immigrant." They do not hide. They are ready to talk to journalists from all TV channels, newspapers and media, dozens of journalists who have gathered and who want to hear the stories of these people. The men with whom I talk and listen to his talks with the others know the Greek language very well without having studied it. They take poses for pictures, smile and show the sign of victory.
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