Greece is cracking down on overcrowded apartments in central Athens where landlords have been cramming 20 to 30 migrants...

Greece is cracking down on overcrowded apartments in central Athens where landlords have been cramming 20 to 30 migrants into single flats and charging them €10 to €30 per night. Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis announced a full ban on these rentals and subleases, with the Hellenic Police already launching simultaneous eviction operations across affected neighborhoods. The problem is concentrated in areas like Patisia and Agios Panteleimonas, where apartments are being sublet on a nightly basis, creating severe overcrowding and deteriorating conditions for surrounding residents. Chrysochoidis was direct about who the policy targets, stating that many foreigners in the city center came to commit crimes rather than work, and that neighborhoods with high concentrations of foreign nationals will see significantly stronger police presence going forward. He made clear that deportation is the intended outcome for criminal offenders who avoid remand custody. "Those who commit crimes and are not remanded, even with restrictive conditions, must leave Greece," Chrysochoidis said. Detention centers will be used to hold deportees who arrived in the country and went on to commit offenses. The minister also addressed a separate but growing problem with phone scams, reporting frequent arrests of Roma operating call centers targeting victims. A new law is being prepared that would classify these scams as felonies, particularly when the victims are elderly or minors, even when the amounts involved are relatively small. The legislation would significantly raise the legal consequences for organized phone fraud. The twin announcements signal a broader shift toward stricter enforcement in Athens neighborhoods that have seen rising crime complaints in recent years. #Greece #Athens #Immigration