Greece hailed the landmark overhaul of the EU asylum and migration rules following the renewed migration it faced this year with over 7,000 arrivals in January and February; an 184% increase compared to 2022, according to official data.
"This is a major breakthrough and a significant step towards a common, and thus more effective, management of the migration challenges of our time," wrote Greek Migration Minister, Dimitris Kairidis on social media, noting it was a "historic day" given Greece is one of the countries hardest hit by the surge of illegal migrants.
With a population of approximately 10.4 million, Greece has received over 460,000 asylum requests since 2013, including over 12,500 this year, the ministry reported.
The islands in the northeastern Aegean Sea serve as a gateway for migrants seeking to reach the European Union.
Earlier on Wednesday, three young girls were discovered dead off the rocky northwestern coast of the Greek island of Chios after their migrant vessel capsized, according to coastguard officials. Rescue operations are ongoing.
In June 2022, 82 people drowned, and hundreds went missing when a migrant trawler sank off the coast of Pylos.
