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In a report to be released today, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRΙ) recognises that there has been some progress in Greece, mainly in terms of the neo-Nazi party Golden Dawn. Nevertheless, it expresses concern that, although the Greek authorities have recognised the need to combat racism, they have no comprehensive strategy to address the root causes of this phenomenon.

The report specifically emphasises that Greece has not yet ratified Protocol № 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights.

"There is a serious increase in incitement to racial hatred, especially in the public discourse and even on the part of representatives of political parties", the report notes.

It also states, "This hatred turns not only against immigrants but also against Roma, Jews and Muslims too," stressing that "there is no sufficient response to this situation and there is widespread impunity of acts that use hate speech".

The Commission report also notes the following:

• In recent years, there has been an increase in racially motivated violence in Greece, and although some measures have been taken, they remain largely insufficient. Due to the fear of arrest and extradition, those illegal immigrants in Greece, who are victims of racist violence, refuse to report the incidents to the police. The negative attitude of the police towards immigrants as well as their unwillingness to investigate cases of racist violence contribute to the general climate of impunity of the perpetrators of such criminal acts.

• The support for the victims of such violence is insufficient whereas social exclusion and deprivation continues to be characteristic of the situation of Roma in Greece. Segregation in education is not over yet, despite the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights on this issue, and housing conditions in many Roma settlements continue to be miserable.

• Illegal immigrants are usually held in Greece without a prior assessment. When they are released from detention centres, they are left to their fate without access to social services.

In its report, the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance requests the Greek authorities to take action in various areas, giving a number of recommendations, such as the following:

1. Greece should ratify Protocol № 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
2. The Greek authorities should establish a working group to develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat racism and intolerance. The working group should be composed of competent state bodies, two independent institutions (an intermediary and the National Commission on Human Rights) and non-governmental organisations to strengthen cooperation between the authorities and civil society on this issue.
3. Additional training of police staff on the basis of the programmes proposed by international organisations. Simultaneously, the authorities should provide training to judges and prosecutors regarding the application of Art. 81a of the Criminal Code to prosecute hate crimes.
4. The Greek authorities should develop an effective strategy to immediately terminate racial discrimination against Roma children at schools and to prevent its possible recurrence in the future.