ANNUAL POLICY REPORT 2012 departments of the decentralized administrations should be addressed in order to achieve the maximum results aimed by the inauguration and operation of the new services. The problem of excessive delays is also evident in the naturalization process. The large number of requests and the decreased number of employees in the Decentralized Administrations of the country does not allow the Administration to respond at short notice to the applicant. The problems related to the management of legal migration were communicated to the Minister of Interior, E. Stylianidis by the Ombudsman. The latter submitted a report on issues of competence of the said Ministry, which included proposals and recommendations on various structural problems of implementation of immigration laws in Greece, and on the naturalization of immigrants of Greek origin from Albania and the former USSR, the acquisition of citizenship by birth or due to attending school in Greece, and determining / assessing of citizenship72. The Migrants’ Integration Councils (CMI), an advisory institution created by Law 3852/2010 for the active participation of migrants in the social and economic development of the municipality where they reside, through the formulatation of recommendations and proposals to the City Council related to the problems they encounter, is estimated to have failed to date, with some exceptions, to produce the expected results. This is linked with problems of establishment and adequate operation of the CMIs and in particular lack of resources to finance activities, inability of employing permanent personal, difficulties regarding regular presence of immigrants in the meetings of CMIs as they are working, and reluctance of local authorities to confront attitudes leading to migrants’ social marginalisation. It is estimated that the delayed activation of the institution in many municipalities, and the method of (or the absence of) operation lead to a risk of depreciation of the institution. The Ministry of Interior, under the actions financed by the European Fund for the Integration of Third Country Nationals, actively supports this institution In January 2012, the General Secretariat of Population and Social Cohesion of the Ministry of Interior launched a public consultation on the draft "National Strategy for the Social Integration of third country nationals 2012-2015", which was developed at the initiative of the General Secretariat in cooperation with all Ministries involved and was completed in April 2012. The development of an integrated framework of a national strategy aims at formulating the theoretical framework, philosophy, axes and priorities of the integration of legally residing third country in accordance with the international ramifications of the migratory phenomenon in the 21st century, the modern needs of the Greek state, the Greek labor market and economy, the capacities of Greek society and the relevant European framework of principles and values. Regarding participation of foreigners in the elections for bodies of First Tier Local Government, on November 13, 2012 information was leaked to the press 72 http://www.synigoros.gr/resources/protaseis_epistoli.pdf 33