Greece Imposes Emergency Asylum Freeze After Migrant Surge

Greece Imposes Emergency Asylum Freeze After Migrant Surge
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Over 500 migrants arrived at the port of Lavrio near Athens on Thursday after being intercepted south of Crete, as Greece imposes emergency measures to handle a spike in crossings from Libya. The group, mainly young men, was brought ashore overnight by a bulk carrier and will be sent to detention centers near the capital.

Separately, more than 200 migrants were transferred to Piraeus port as makeshift centers on Crete reached capacity, receiving around 500 new arrivals daily since the weekend. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced that Greece will suspend asylum processing for migrants arriving by sea from North Africa for three months, with parliament set to vote on the emergency measure.

A senior migration official said the strict measures aim to discourage migrants from paying smugglers to reach Greece. The country also supports EU plans to link financial aid to African states’ cooperation on accepting deported citizens.

Greece reported detaining over 7,000 migrants from Libya in the past 10 days, despite a broader drop in irregular EU migration this year. Aid groups have condemned the temporary asylum halt, warning it undermines the right to seek refuge. Local authorities on Crete continue to struggle with overcrowded facilities and limited resources.