Ragousis' law for granting citizenship is put on ice

Following the decision of the State Council that Law 3838/2010 - also known as Ragousis’ law - is unconstitutional, prime minister Antonis Samaras ordered the freezing of its implementation.

 

Within seven days, Interior minister Evripidis Stylianidis and deputy minister Charalambos Athanassiou are called upon to draw anew the provisions declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Administrative Court. These provisions give foreigners living in Greece the right to vote after the granting of citizenship.

 

According to the announcement of the General Secretariat of the government, deputy Justice minister Charalambos Athanassiou will publish the new bill, compatible with the Court's decision, next week. Eliminating Ragousis’ law was a pre-election commitment of Samaras'.

 

Analytically, the announcement of the General Secretariat is as follows:

 

"By order of prime minister Antonis Samaras, Interior minister Evripidis Stylianidis and deputy minister Charalambos Athanasiou are called upon to give appropriate directions for the immediate implementation of yesterday's decision by the State Council on the conditions of acquisition of Greek citizenship both through the birth of the foreigner in Greece and by naturalization, so that the state can investigate from now on, among other things, whether they have ties with the Greek Nation, as the Court specifically requires. Meanwhile, the prime minister instructed deputy minister Charalambos Athanassiou to prepare and publish a bill compatible with this judgment within 7 days."