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Results 16 to 30 out of 165.

2018

31/12/2018 - Special report
- Special report on return of third country nationals

The fact that the dramatic reduction in the numbers of forced returns of third country nationals in 2018 does not correspond to the high number of administrative detainees in view of return, is highlighted by the Greek Ombudsman in the special report in his capacity as national monitoring mechanism for returns according to EU law.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
31/12/2018 - Special report
- Equal Treatment - Special Report 2018

This Special Report illustrates the Greek Ombudsman’ activity as the national body for promoting the principle of equal treatment, in the year 2018.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
21/11/2018 - Summary
- Citizenship determination for a child born out of wedlock by a Greek father and an alien mother without legal residence

The Greek Ombudsman received a complaint regarding problems in the process of Greek citizenship acquisition by a child born out of wedlock to a Greek father and an alien mother without legal residence, within 300 days following her divorce from her ex-spouse, also an alien. Due to the ex-spouse’s presumption of paternity, a trial was required to establish paternity. Subsequently a notarial deed of child recognition was drafted, which, however, was not accepted by the 1st Directorate of Civil Status and Social Affairs of Athens, part of the Decentralised Administration of Attica, because by that time, the child had reached the age of three, and the deadline allowed for notaries dealing with third country nationals without legal residence, had expired. The Ombudsman argued that the three-year deadline of the Immigration Code had been suspended on the grounds of force majeure (completion of the paternity trial) and the Directorate of the Decentralised Administration finally decided on the child’s acquisition of the Greek nationality.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
05/11/2018 - Press release
- Granting disability allowance to prisoners

The Ombudsman’s standing position that detainees should not be excluded from grave disability allowance, provided that the remaining legal conditions are met, has been accepted by the administration. A recent circular by the Ministry of Labour, Social Security and Social Solidarity has upheld the persistent interventions of the Independent Authority, recognising that deprivation of liberty does not constitute an obstacle to the granting of disability allowances, since detention facilities do not meet the personalised needs arising from disability and therefore the social purpose of the allowance is not cancelled.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
29/10/2018 - Special report
- Attachment of bank accounts for debts to the State

Attachment of bank accounts for debts to the State
From: The Greek Ombudsman
24/09/2018 - Summary
- Recording of civil status data for children with a single parent

The Greek Ombudsman proposed that only one parent should be registered in the case of children adopted by a single parent or children born to a single father through the surrogacy procedure, without the data of a second parent (biological parent or surrogate mother). The Ministry of the Interior accepted the Ombudsman’s proposal in relation to children adopted by a single parent.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
21/09/2018 - Summary
- Unequal treatment between mothers and fathers with children unable to engage in gainful employment

The Ombudsman submitted a Findings Report to the Secretary-General for Social Security and subsequently to the Deputy Minister for Social Security, proposing a legislative initiative, under which the conditions for entitlement to old-age pension of parents with children unable to any gainful employment become gender neutral.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
25/07/2018 - Summary
- Separation of newborns from their mothers due to lack of adequate identity data

The Ombudsman received complaints concerning newly born infants who were not delivered to their mothers upon their leaving hospital after childbirth, because the mothers did not have proper identification. The infants remained at hospital and were later placed in institutional care where they remained for long. The Ombudsman suggested to the Ministry of Health that they should find a way not to interrupt the infant’s biological and legal bond with the mother, by assisting the latter in the process of issuing identity documents. Law 4554/2018, which was subsequently adopted, includes regulations to record births by mothers without identification documents and register the infants within hospitals, in order to put an end to this harmful practice.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
19/07/2018 - Summary
- Free movement of workers in the European Union (EU) and family benefits

Ο Συνήγορος του Πολίτη διερεύνησε υπόθεση σχετικά με τη χορήγηση οικογενειακού επιδόματος σε ανήλικο τέκνο που φοιτά σε σχολείο κράτους μέλους της Ευρωπαϊκής Ένωσης. Σύμφωνα με τα στοιχεία της αναφοράς, ο αιτών πατέρας του τέκνου είναι Πολωνός διακινούμενος εργαζόμενος, έχει δύο ανήλικα τέκνα και ο ΟΓΑ του χορηγεί ενιαίο επίδομα στήριξης τέκνων για το ένα παιδί με την αιτιολογία ότι το άλλο φοιτά σε Λύκειο στην Πολωνία. Ο ΟΓΑ σε σχετικό ερώτημα του Συνηγόρου του Πολίτη απάντησε ότι το επίδομα δίδεται για παιδιά που ζουν εκτός Ελλάδος μόνο στην περίπτωση που φοιτούν αυτά σε Ανώτερες ή Ανώτατες Σχολές μετά την ενηλικίωσή τους.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
18/07/2018 - Summary
- Holder’s name on seaman’s book can be written by way of derogation from the standard ELOT transcription in Latin

Citizens, mainly of foreign origin, asked for the Greek Ombudsman’s mediation because the Ministry of Shipping and Island Policy rejected their requests to have their names written on the seaman’s book by way of derogation from the ELOT 743 standard, which resulted in their data being different than those written on their identity cards or documents kept in their country of origin. The Ombudsman highlighted that good administrative practice requires the uniform standardisation of Greek citizens’ data in all identity documents, i.e. the identity card, passport and, therefore, the seaman’s book, so that seamen won’t have identification problems. Following a meeting between the Secretary-General for Shipping and Island Policy, Ministry staff and a representative of the Greek Ombudsman, the Ministry adopted a Decision providing for the transcription of the data in the seaman’s books in Latin characters by way of derogation from the ELOT 743 standard, in so far as it agrees with the data on the identity card.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
14/06/2018 - Summary
- Reunification of alien minors, housed in a shelter, with their mother who was released from prison

A non-governmental organization (NGO), which deals with the support of prisoners and ex-prisoners, reported to the Authority that an alien mother was prevented from communicating and reuniting with her two minor children who, at the time of her detention, were housed in a child protection shelter, following the public prosecutor's order. The investigation of the case showed that the impediment was mainly due to errors and shortcomings in the entry in civil records of the two infants who were born in Greece. Another serious issue was that the mother’s deadline to leave the country had expired, which resulted in her illegal stay. Because of the above problems, the prosecutor rejected the reunification request, and the competent consulate did not issue travel documents for the family to return to their homeland.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
29/03/2018 - Summary
- Travel documents to beneficiaries of international protection holding a long-term residence permit

A refugee and holder of a “long-term residence-work permit” of the Hellenic Republic, filed a complaint with the Ombudsman regarding an application submitted to the Aliens Directorate of Attica of the Hellenic Police, for renewal of his travel document (TDV - Titre de voyage).
From: The Greek Ombudsman
28/03/2018 - Summary
- The invitation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for recruiting experts is contrary to the principle of equal treatment

The Ombudsman examined an invitation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs concerning the recruitment of five experts, which excludes the participation of candidates: a. Who are Greek citizens by naturalisation but have not completed 3 years since the acquisition of the Greek nationality b. Who have not reached the age of 32 c. Who suffer from serious cardiovascular or respiratory or renal or contagious diseases or serious diseases of the nervous system.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
27/02/2018 - Document
- How can I become a Greek Citizen? (Simplified instructions on the acquisition of Greek citizenship)

The instructions attached are the materialisation of an idea that has have been formulated during a work meeting between the Ombudsman and immigrant communities, in December 2017. The final outcome is a product of the cooperation between the Ombudsman and the Citizenship Directorate of the Greek Ministry of Interior. It aims at promoting integration policies for immigrants, through better understanding of the administrative procedures of the Greek state.
From: The Greek Ombudsman
09/01/2018 - Press release
- Protection from dismissal for adoptive mothers

Protection from dismissal for adoptive mothers has been achieved by the Greek Ombudsman. Under Law No 4488/2017 which was adopted recently (Article 48), following the intervention of the Independent Authority, the same protection from dismissal which is in force for biological mothers, has been extended to women who are in the process of adopting. At the same time, protection against dismissal has been provided for working surrogate mothers, as well as the mothers who are expecting a child through surrogacy.
From: The Greek Ombudsman