Greece is considering legislation that could ban full-face coverings worn for religious reasons, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris told Parliament, though no final framework has been established.
Responding to a parliamentary question from a lawmaker representing the Greek Solution party, Plevris said the government is examining regulatory approaches adopted by other European countries. He noted that rulings by the European Court of Human Rights allow individual EU member states to decide whether to introduce such bans.
Plevris acknowledged that the use of garments such as the burqa and niqab remains relatively uncommon in Greece. He attributed this partly to the fact that most Muslim asylum seekers arriving in the country are men.
According to estimates, around 330,000 Muslims live in Greece, including approximately 200,000 in Athens.
Some observers, however, warned about the timing of the discussion. One expert told Kathimerini that the Muslim community in Greece is largely integrated and that raising the issue now could risk unnecessary tensions.
Plevris also reaffirmed Greece’s commitment to establishing migrant return centers in third countries outside the European Union, as part of broader efforts to manage migration flows.
