Top court says legal to expel unvaccinated children from kindergartens

Greece's top administrative court ruled on Thursday that it is legal to remove children who have not been vaccinated from nurseries and kindergartens, citing a constitutional obligation of the State to protect public health.

In its decision, the Council of State said that "it would be contrary to the principle of equality for a person to ask not to be vaccinated" because others around them are.

The case was brought before the court after the municipality of Eastern Macedonia expelled four children from an equal number of municipal kindergartens, after their parents refused to vaccinate them for common childhood illnesses.

The parents of one girl appealed to the court asking for the annulment of the municipal council's decision announced on from January 14, claiming it is unconstitutional and contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).