Greece Halts Asylum Reviews and Plans Closed Facility in Crete Amid Migrant Surge

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has announced a tough new migration policy in response to a recent surge of boat arrivals from North Africa to the island of Crete.
Speaking in Parliament, Mitsotakis declared a three-month suspension of asylum claim reviews for those entering Greece illegally by sea from North Africa. He stated that all unauthorized arrivals would be arrested and detained.
Additionally, the government will establish a closed reception center in Crete to hold undocumented migrants. The precise location is expected to be finalized at a meeting on Friday with local and regional officials, including Crete’s regional governor and the mayor of Rethymno. Iraklio is currently seen as the most suitable site due to available infrastructure.
The prime minister drew comparisons to the 2020 migration crisis at the Evros border with Turkey, emphasizing that this measure is a temporary but firm reaction to an evolving situation.
Government sources suggest the decision was prompted in part by recent diplomatic tensions, including the expulsion of a European delegation from Benghazi by Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar. The crisis is seen as both a political challenge and an opportunity to reaffirm border security.
Mitsotakis noted that diplomatic discussions with both Western and Eastern Libyan authorities are ongoing, but reaffirmed that Greece’s response will be “strict and within the bounds of legality.”