ATHENS — A bill tightening up returns of migrants whose asylum applications are rejected has been posted for public consultation as of Saturday.

The bill is titled "Reform of deportation and return processes of third-country citizens, issues on residence permits and processes of providing international protection and other regulations of the Ministries of Migration & Asylum and Citizen Protection". It was recently presented to the cabinet by Migration & Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi.

According to a ministry statement, "the proposed bill's basic premise is to clarify and enforce more strictly the deportation and returns processes, to remove from the country those not entitled to international protection." The bill tries to close loopholes in the current legislative framework, it said, which allow citizens of non-EU countries to take advantage of and remain in Greece illegally.

The bill will remain posted until 18:00 on July 2. It is available for comment by agencies and Greek citizens at the OpenGov platform: http://www.opengov.gr/immigration/?p=1512.