Ethnic Greeks in Ukraine Offered Fast Track to Citizenship Benefits

The Greek government announced it would give special status to ethnic Greeks living in Ukraine, who have been impacted by the conflict with pro-Russian forces. The Greek foreign ministry estimated that there are more than 90,000 Ukrainians of Greek origin who live in the Mauripol region.

The foreign ministry announced that all Greek-origin people from the war-torn region would be treated as “returnees” and not ordinary refugees or asylum seekers.

“Greek Ukranians (not possessing Greek citizenship) who would choose to resettle to Greece would get a special status – as was the case with people of Greek origin emigrating to Greece after the split-up of the former Soviet Union”, Anastasia Christofilopoulou, a Greek spokeswoman, told the EUObserver.

“At that time, there were special provisions facilitating citizenship-acquisition and granting of professional/social rights. In a similar case, similar measures would probably apply”.

Violence has escalated in the region. Sartana, a majority-Greek village near Mariupol was shelled by pro-Russia forces for 25 minutes, killing three people and damaging 170 homes. Rocket attacks over the past year have killed numerous people in the region, including a January assault that killed 30 people.

A house destroyed in heavy fire between Ukrainian forces and Russian-backed separatists in the village of Sartana, near Mariupol in eastern Ukraine.

Greece, on Monday, transported 191 Greek-origin children and elderly people from Kiev to Rhodes, for assistance with re-settlement.

Native Greeks have occupied regions of the Ukraine for centuries, with a peak during Byzantine times. These communities have maintained cultural ties to Greece, with numerous Greek-language schools to assist young children to learn the language.