STRASBOURG, France

 The Council of Europe has called on Greece to curb growing violence against immigrants and discrimination against Roma people.

The council said in a report released on Tuesday that xenophobia was on the rise in the country and urged Greece to work with non-governmental organizations to "develop a comprehensive national strategy to combat racism and intolerance".

Christian Ahlund, the chair of the council’s European Commission against Racism and Intolerance (ECRI) said: "Despite steps forward ... problems persist, including worrying levels of xenophobia and violence against refugees, asylum seekers and migrants and the ongoing segregation of Roma children in some schools.

The release of the report followed a visit to Greece in March 2014 by ECRI representatives who said the country had made progress in a number of fields, but added: "Despite the progress achieved, some issues give rise to concern.

"Public and political discourse is widely permeated by hate speech against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers, who often become targets of racist violence."

'Stricter sentences'

The commission said that, as a result of failed integration plans, many Roma - believed to number about 265,000, or 2.5 percent of Greece's population - remained marginalised and socially excluded.

The commission made several recommendations to the Greek authorities which will be reviewed in two years’ time.

It called on Athens to train the judiciary on the enforcement of new laws which would impose stricter sentences for "hate crimes" and said Greek authorities should launch a broad-based public campaign to denounce racist attitudes as being contrary to Greek values and interests and to promote an inclusive and multi-cultural approach towards Greek identity.

The ECRI also called on Greek political and religious leaders to take a "firm stand" against racist discourse and instruct their representatives to refrain from making derogatory comments targeting a group of persons on grounds of their race, religion, nationality, language or ethnic origin.

The ECRI also welcomed the enforcement of a much-delayed anti-racism law as well as the appointment of public prosecutors to deal with acts of racist violence and the creation of a special police force to tackle racist attacks.