Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis has described arsenic “cheap opposition” claims that hoops star Giannis Antetokounmpo would not beryllium allowed to vie connected the Greek nationalist team under existent migration laws and regulations overseen by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris.
“It is simply a disapproval that is retired of spot and time,” Marinakis said during a regular property briefing. “The instrumentality refers to amerciable immigrants who effort to participate the state unlawfully and repeals a proviso that would automatically legalize them aft 7 years.”
Marinakis highlighted Antetokounmpo’s example: “He is present a symbol of the state and of sports, not due to the fact that of medals, but due to the fact that of his example. He and his household were calved successful Greece, went done very hard times, and are Greek. They worked hard, went to school, and person thing to bash with those trying to participate the state illegally.”
He criticized immoderate enactment seeking to use a nationalist sports fig “to make impressions within the model of their ain obsessions,” calling it a motion of desperation.
Although Giannis and his younger brothers were calved successful Greece, helium did not person Greek citizenship astatine commencement arsenic his parents, who migrated from Nigeria successful 1991, did not person residency papers. He was lone granted Greek citizenship successful 2013 astatine the property of 18.
Under a caller instrumentality passed earlier this month, undocumented migrants entering Greece from third countries deemed harmless by the EU and not entitled to asylum indispensable instrumentality location oregon beryllium detained for astatine slightest 24 months and look fines of up to €10,000.
Plevris told parliament during the statement connected the caller provisions that the rights of Greeks who want to support their state outweighed the rights of someone whose asylum was rejected and was staying successful Greece illegally.