On 3 June 2025, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, published a report on the human rights situation of Roma in Greece, following his visit to the country from 3 to 7 February 2025.
Despite acknowledging progress by the Greek authorities in protecting Roma rights, the Commissioner noted in his report that many obstacles and structural problems continue to hinder the inclusion of Roma in Greek society, preventing the full and effective enjoyment of their human rights. This is because access to adequate housing and related basic services is particularly difficult in a context where most Roma live, in degraded conditions, in settlements or in de facto spatially segregated neighbourhoods.
In his report, the Commissioner called on the Greek authorities to ensure that all Roma have access to water and electricity, and to refrain from forcibly removing Roma communities from their settlements without providing viable and satisfactory alternative housing solutions. During his visit to Greece, Mr O’Flaherty also observed that incidents of police arbitrariness and state racism against Roma continue.
The Commissioner recommends that the Greek authorities ensure prompt and effective investigations into all allegations of violence, racism and discrimination against Roma, including by members of the law enforcement authorities, with due consideration to any possible racist motive. He also invites them to strengthen the training of law enforcement officers and the judiciary on human rights compliant policing and to collect and publish data regarding disciplinary and criminal investigations into allegations of racial profiling, racially motivated police violence and excessive use of force by members of law enforcement. The Commissioner calls for the adoption of a zero tolerance policy regarding hate speech and stigmatising narratives targeting Roma, including by elected officials, and for further support to the Ombudsman’s special mandate as Mechanism for the Investigation of Arbitrary Incidents. Finally, the Commissioner emphasises the crucial importance of implementing the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights related to the rights of Roma.
Discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of nationality, religion, colour, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic is prohibited by the Constitution, whose Article 4 enshrines the equality of all citizens.
Although discrimination against individuals or groups on the basis of any personal characteristic is prohibited by Article 4 of the Constitution, the Commissioner’s report documents discrimination, inequalities, police arbitrariness, and insufficient human rights protection affecting Roma in Greece.
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