Newsroom
The House on Friday passed three amendments to the Refugee Law, streamlining asylum procedures.
One amendment, passed by 33 votes in favour and 18 against, grants the head of the Asylum Service the power to issue a decision for the deportation of an asylum seeker at the same time that their application is rejected, allowing for both decisions to be taken in a single administrative act, while the amendment also allows the head of the asylum service to regulate notification of the decisions.
A second amendment, passed by 33 votes in favour and 17 against, reduces the time allowed for filing an appeal against an asylum service or the refugee review authority decision to 30 days.
In June, interior minister Nicos Nouris defended the need to streamline and fast-track asylum and appeal procedures, through the bills passed Friday.
