Greek authorities have begun construction work on closed detention areas inside controlled reception facilities for…
Tag: asylum seekers
Greek authorities rescued around 540 migrants off Gavdos and transferred them to a temporary facility on Crete, marking one of the largest migrant arrivals in recent months.
Germany has suspended all deportations of asylum seekers to Greece until June 2026, when the EU’s new Asylum and Migration Pact takes effect. Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt confirmed that applications will instead be processed in Germany, extending a practice that has already allowed nearly 100,000 migrants who entered via Greece to stay.
The Greek government says it has secured an agreement with Germany and other EU countries suspending the return of asylum seekers to Greece until a new European asylum system is implemented.
Germany’s Interior Minister announced that thousands of refugees will begin returning to Greece from 2026,…
Video footage reveals Greek Coast Guard’s aggressive maneuvers against a migrant boat, prompting outrage over border enforcement tactics.
Greece, long a gateway to Europe for refugees, wants to join several other EU countries…
Greece is among the latest European countries introducing stricter measures on migration. Britain proposed sweeping…
Tensions have subsided at the closed migrant accommodation center in Kleidi, within the municipality of…
The German government has announced the end of the special legal status for Ukrainian refugees,…
The European Commission has classified Spain, Italy, Greece, and Cyprus as being “under migratory pressure”,…
Authorities in Crete are processing the arrival of 58 migrants who landed early Thursday morning on the beach of Limnaki, in the Stomio area of Ierapetra.
Germany’s plan to tighten laws against small-boat smuggling by 2025 faces delays, raising concerns for Greece, a key migrant entry point. As Berlin struggles to meet its legislative timeline, Greece worries about weakened EU efforts to combat smuggling networks, compounded by Germany’s return of refused asylum seekers under the Dublin Regulation.
Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris told ERT News that migration cannot solve Greece’s demographic crisis, reaffirming the government’s strict stance on irregular migration and unveiling a new circular warning asylum seekers of penalties for illegal entry and residence.
Over 220 migrants arrived on Crete and Gavdos from Libya in 24 hours, amid a 310% surge in arrivals to Crete in 2025. Greek authorities intercepted four boats, with migrants transferred to a facility in Agia, Hania, as new policies impose stricter detention and penalties.
Greek Migration Minister Thanos Plevris pledged the strictest immigration policy yet at the Thessaloniki International Fair, emphasizing “prison or return” for illegal migrants while rejecting the Left’s call to link immigration to demographic challenges.
Greece has approved tough new legislation that threatens rejected asylum seekers with prison terms of up to five years, fines, and electronic monitoring. The centre-right government says the measures will protect national security, but critics warn they risk criminalising vulnerable people and breaching international law.
Greece will implement medical tests, including X-rays, to verify the age of asylum seekers claiming to be minors, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris announced on August 22, 2025. Refusal to undergo testing will result in adult classification, sparking concerns over accuracy and human rights violations
Frontex reports that the Western Balkan route for illegal entry into the EU has been almost completely shut down, with smugglers now exploiting new and deadlier paths, such as the Libya–Crete crossing.
Greece and Hungary have signed a memorandum of cooperation on migration and asylum ahead of the EU’s new migration pact set to take effect in 2026. The agreement comes as Greece reports hosting 1,722 unaccompanied minors in various accommodation facilities across the country.
The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has expressed concern over a proposed Greek law that would temporarily suspend asylum applications from boat arrivals, warning it could violate international and European legal standards. Amid rising arrivals on Gavdos and Crete, UNHCR urged Greece to uphold its tradition of refugee protection and called for greater EU solidarity with frontline states.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is set to announce tougher immigration measures in Parliament today, signaling a sharp shift in policy amid rising migrant arrivals from Libya. The new approach includes a “return or prison” ultimatum for those denied asylum, with the government pledging strict enforcement and no tolerance for irregular migration, especially during the peak tourist season.
In a striking scene captured on Sunday morning at Diskos beach in southern Crete, dozens…
Germany’s Federal Administrative Court rules that single, healthy male asylum seekers can be deported to Greece, citing manageable conditions, a move supporting Chancellor-elect Friedrich Merz’s pledge to reduce migrant arrivals amid political pressure.
Germany’s top administrative court has ruled that deporting two asylum seekers back to Greece does not violate human rights, despite concerns over poor living conditions for refugees there. The court found that young, able-bodied men are unlikely to face extreme hardship, prompting criticism from refugee advocates who warn of homelessness and lack of support in Greece.
On April 11, 2025, Italy made history by transferring 40 rejected asylum seekers to detention centers in Albania, marking the first time an EU nation has relocated migrants to a third country. This could set a precedent for Europe, with implications for Greece.
The EU’s border agency, Frontex, is reviewing 12 serious incident reports involving Greece, some linked to alleged illegal pushbacks of migrants—a practice recently condemned by the European Court of Human Rights. While Greece denies such actions, the investigation underscores ongoing concerns about border management and human rights compliance at Europe’s southeastern frontier.
Six young children living in a migrant camp on the Greek island of Samos have been diagnosed with moderate to severe malnutrition, marking the first such cases since the facility opened in 2021, according to Doctors Without Borders. The medical charity says poor camp conditions, combined with limited pediatric care and the recent loss of asylum seeker stipends, have worsened the children’s health.
The European Union is intensifying its migration crackdown with a bold proposal to establish ‘return hubs’ outside its borders and accelerate deportations of rejected asylum seekers. For Greece, a key entry point along the Turkish border, the plan could ease pressure on overcrowded island camps, though critics warn of potential human rights violations. Unveiled Tuesday by the European Commission, the measures aim to boost returns—currently at just 20%—and restore trust in the EU’s migration system, amid declining irregular crossings and rising political tensions.
Greek authorities rescued 82 undocumented migrants found 11 nautical miles south of Crete early Wednesday. The Hellenic Coast Guard safely transferred them to Kali Limenes, where they were reported to be in good health. They will be temporarily housed in Heraklion as officials assess their status.
