Athens, March 28, 2026
A public debate on "Greece's Immigration Policy" was held with great success on Thursday, March 26, 2026, at the historic Parnassos Literary Society. Organized by Debate House, the event once again confirmed the organization's role as one of the most dynamic forces for political dialogue in the country.
The event drew 400 citizens, with the venue at full capacity and strong audience engagement throughout. In an atmosphere of lively participation and substantive exchange of views, it was reaffirmed that the need for evidence-based and civilized public dialogue remains strong. The heart of democracy beat at Debate House, showcasing a different approach to disagreement and strengthening political culture in the public sphere.
The debate featured the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanos Plevris, and the Member of Parliament for Nea Aristera (New Left) and Secretary of the Parliamentary Group, Dimitris Tzanakopoulos — two politicians with clearly distinct ideological starting points who crossed arguments within a framework of respect and institutional dialogue.
The event opened with introductory remarks by the President and Founder of Debate House, Filippos Petropoulos, who underscored the importance of democratic debate, noting that in politics we are opponents, not enemies. This was followed by a contribution from the organization's Vice President, Christos Lagkadianos, who highlighted the particular relevance of the immigration issue, stressing that in a period of geopolitical upheaval and heightened humanitarian challenges, public dialogue is more necessary than ever.
During the discussion, Mr. Plevris presented the government's position, emphasizing the distinction between legal and illegal immigration, as well as initiatives to establish bilateral agreements aimed at facilitating legal migration flows. He also referred to reception facilities, highlighting education and vocational training programs for the integration of immigrants.
For his part, Mr. Tzanakopoulos focused on the need to create safe and legal migration pathways, noting their limited availability, while emphasizing the importance of evaluating asylum applications and returning those who do not meet the criteria — provided that safe conditions are ensured. He also cited the example of Spain, pointing out that immigrant legalization policies do not necessarily lead to an increase in migration flows.
A particularly positive impression was left by the active audience participation, with attendees able to intervene, raise questions, and meaningfully contribute to shaping the discussion, both in person and through the Deliberate platform, which enhances participatory engagement and the formulation of evidence-based opinions in public dialogue.
At the conclusion of the proceedings, Minister Thanos Plevris was selected as the top speaker by the audience, while both participants were recognized for the high level of argumentation and political civility they demonstrated.
The choice of two ideologically intense opponents posed a demanding challenge, which Debate House managed successfully, proving that it can create the conditions for substantive dialogue even on the most polarized issues.
The debate video can be found here.