On 31 August 2026 and 9-10 September 2026, a delegation of the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe held online meetings and conducted a visit to Athens, Greece in the framework of the preparation of the Urgent Opinion on 2026 amendments to the legislation on Asylum and Immigration (regarding NGO Registry and criminal liability). The Urgent Opinion was requested by Ms Elvira Kovács, Chairperson of the Committee on the Honouring of Obligations and Commitments by Member States (Monitoring Committee) of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The delegation had exchanges of views with the Minister of Migration and Asylum together with representatives from various ministries, the President of the Council of State, parliamentarians of the governing majority and the opposition, the Greek Ombudsman, representatives of the Greek National Commission for Human Rights and of the National Transparency Authority, as well as well as with civil society organisations, academia and international partners.

The urgent opinion will be issued in due course and submitted for endorsement at the October 2026 Plenary Session of the Venice Commission.