ANNUAL POLICY REPORT 2012 and be elected to the elected bodies of first-tier local government. The subsequent relevant actions of the government monopolized the interest of the media and political discussions for a certain period of time. In the context of strengthening tourism in the islands of the Eastern Aegean and with the assent of the European Commission, a pilot program to encourage short tourist arrivals from Turkey was applied for four months by accelerating the issue of necessary visas. In addition, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working towards all requests to enter the country to be processed quickly. Under the Schengen governance, the Greek government revised the existing National Action Plan in order to achieve optimal management of external borders, better use of available personnel and equipment and infrastructure improvements. To enhance the surveillance of the External Borders of the country, the National Coordinating Centre for Border Surveillance & Control was established. The completion of the construction of a deterrent artificial barrier in Evros is also part of the measures to strengthen the prevention of illegal entry through the land border with Turkey. In the implementation of the national initiative "Operation Xenios Zeus", a large number of police officers were seconded in the same area in order to achieve better guarding of land borders. The result of their presence was to significantly reduce the illegal entries. In this effort, the assistance of Frontex was essential. Greece signed a memorandum of cooperation with the Agency through which it aims to further strengthen surveillance at Greek border and to expand modern surveillance systems all along the Greek-Turkish border. The policy measures taken in the field of combating illegal immigration in 2012 were criticized and tension was created between the involved actors at all levels and in different extent at every case. The subject was followed and views and recommendations were expressed by officials from intergovernmental organizations (Council of Europe and UN) and representatives of the European Commission, the European Parliament and of FRONTEX. They focused on the operation "Xenios Zeus" and the detention centers, in combination with issues related to the establishment and operation of the First Reception Centers. More specifically, reflecting the priorities of the new government to address illegal immigration (entry and residence)21, the Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection launched "Operation Xenios Zeus' on 2 and 3 August 2012, at the center of Athens and in Evros, as a permanent organized operation of three objectives: a) repelling illegal immigrants from Evros and sealing the borders, b) return of illegal immigrants to their home countries, starting from those detecting in the the center of Athens and then in the periphery of the country 22, c) restoring the rule of law and protecting quality of life for 21 See reference in Section 2.1 of this Report. 22 In public discourse reference was made to "recapture the cities," Interview of the Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection Law Dendias in P / S Station Flash and journalist K. Parra, 2.9.2012 (http://www.mopocp.gov.gr/index.php?option=ozo_content&lang=&perform=view&id=4337&Itemid=552) 19