Released on: November 6, 2007, 10:57 am

Press Release Author: FollowNEWS

Industry: Financial

Press Release Summary: ATHENS) - Hundreds of African and Asian migrants living in
Greece demonstrated in Athens on Thursday to call on the European Union to relax its
regulations on immigration and asylum seekers.

Press Release Body: In a protest march organised by Greek labour unions, left-wing
parties, human rights groups and immigrant associations, around 1,500 people said
the EU should stop deportations and deaths at its borders and grant long-term
permits to all immigrants living in the bloc for more than five years.

\"No to Fortress Europe\", read banners held by the demonstrators.

The protest organisers noted that there are between 4.5 and eight million
undocumented immigrants living in Europe, enough to constitute a new member state of
the 27-nation bloc.

A further 8,500 immigrants and refugees have died trying to access the continent,
the majority drowning in the Mediterranean, they said.

Earlier this week, Italy, Libya and Malta all refused to accept 26 African
immigrants rescued from a small wooden boat by a Spanish trawler, arguing that they
were in international waters.

The protesters in Athens also called on the EU to castigate Greece for rejecting the
vast majority of its asylum requests.

Only up to 1.5 percent of refugee applicants are granted asylum each year. In
addition, Greece refuses to grant citizenship to immigrant children born in the
country.

The march coincided with a European conference on migration held in Athens this
week, with ministers and officials from 32 European countries in attendance.

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Contact Details: Athens, Greece