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Greece on Friday officially put a three-month pause on accepting asylum applications from migrants arriving by sea from North Africa.
The new rule was approved by parliament on Friday, with 177 lawmakers voting in favor, 74 against and 42 choosing not to vote either way. The decision comes as the country faces a sudden rise in migrant arrivals, especially on the islands of Crete and Gavdos.
Since January, more than 7,000 migrants have landed on Greek shores via a newly established smuggling route originating from Tobruk and Libya, surpassing the total number of arrivals recorded throughout 2024.
The United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) expressed "grave concern" over the suspension, warning that it undermines the right to seek asylum, a cornerstone of international and EU law. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) called the law “a flagrant violation” of the principle of non-refoulement, which prohibits the forced return of individuals to countries where they could face danger.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis defended the government's hardline stance on Friday. "Greece will not allow itself to become a gateway for illegal migration. The route is closing, and illegal entrants will be detained," he said.
The new law stipulates that migrants arriving without authorization from North African countries will be returned without registration to their point of origin or departure.
Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis recently traveled to Libya for talks aimed at dismantling smuggling networks, though efforts were hampered when EU migration envoy Magnus Brunner was declared persona non grata by one of Libya’s rival factions.
Meanwhile, the Hellenic Navy has deployed two frigates near Libyan waters to monitor smuggling routes and intercept vessels attempting to journey toward Europe.
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