Greece Enacts Temporary Asylum Ban for North African Migrants Amid Controversy

Summary

• Greek parliament approves a three-month suspension of asylum applications from North African migrants by a vote of 177-74 to curb rising sea arrivals.
• Human rights groups and opposition parties condemn the ban as illegal and inhumane.
• Greece intensifies sea patrols and plans a migrant camp on Crete, raising concerns from the local tourism sector.

Key Details
ATHENS, July 11 (Reuters) - On Friday, Greek lawmakers voted to temporarily halt asylum processing for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa, aiming to deter arrivals at Europe’s southern border. The decision follows a surge in migrants reaching Crete and discussions with Libya’s Benghazi-based government to curb the flow.

The move reflects a tougher stance under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ centre-right government, which has strengthened border security with a northern fence and increased sea patrols since 2019. Human rights groups allege Greece illegally repels asylum-seekers at its borders, with the EU border agency currently reviewing 12 potential rights violations. The government denies these claims.

The new law, passed with 177 votes for and 74 against, suspends asylum processing for at least three months and allows rapid repatriation without identification procedures. Mitsotakis, quoted in Bild, defended the measure, stating, “Greece is not a gateway to Europe open to everyone,” citing a sharp rise in arrivals from Libya to Crete.

Despite a 5.5% drop in overall sea arrivals to Greece (17,000 in the first half of 2025, per U.N. data), Crete and Gavdos have seen arrivals quadruple to over 7,000 this year. The 2015-16 migration crisis, when hundreds of thousands passed through Greece, remains a reference point for current policies.

Rights groups, including the IRC’s Martha Roussou, condemned the ban as a violation of the human right to seek refuge, calling it “illegal and inhumane.” Recently, thousands of migrants, including children, were rescued off Crete and temporarily sheltered in an exhibition centre in Agyia amid intense summer heat. Reuters footage showed a migrant being carried out on a stretcher after fainting.

Crete currently lacks a proper reception facility, and the government’s plan to build a migrant camp has sparked concerns from the local tourism industry about the island’s image. Deputy Governor George Tsapakos emphasized the urgency of finding centralized solutions, stating, “The weight is too great, the load is too big.”