Greece may extend North Africa asylum ban if migrant flow resurges

7/8/2025 17:56

Greece could extend a suspension on examining asylum applications passed by parliament last month if migrant flows from Libya start rising again, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said on Thursday.



In July, the centre-right government stopped processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea for at least three months in an effort to curb arrivals from Libya to the Greek island of Crete.



In an interview with public broadcaster ERT, Plevris said he could not rule out an extension to the suspension if there was a "new crisis".



Arrivals of irregular migrants in Crete declined rapidly after the new legislation took effect from 2,642 in the first week of July to 900 in the whole period since then.



New legislation is being prepared that will clearly define that "whoever comes into the country illegally will face a jail term of up to five years," Plevris said, referring to those who are not fleeing armed conflict, who could qualify for asylum.