Migrants receive food and bottles of water as they are gathered by Greek coast guard officers after disembarking from a cargo ship, in the port of Lavrio, south of Athens, on July 10, 2025.
Aris Messinis / AFP
Athens warns it may extend its current asylum ban on North African migrants if arrivals rise again.
Greece is prepared to extend its suspension on processing asylum applications from migrants arriving by sea from North Africa if the flow of arrivals increases again, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris announced.
The current ban, passed last month, aims to curb the number of migrants reaching the Greek island of Crete, a key entry point.
Since the suspension took effect, irregular migrant arrivals in Crete have dropped significantly—from 2,642 in the first week of July to just 900 in the following weeks.
Plevris revealed plans for new legislation that would impose prison sentences of up to five years on those entering Greece illegally, except for individuals fleeing armed conflict who qualify for asylum.
Human rights organizations have criticized Greece for forcibly turning back asylum seekers at its borders, and the European Union is investigating potential human rights violations. The Greek government denies any wrongdoing, emphasizing the need for stricter border controls.
“All European countries now understand that it is not possible to have open borders, it’s not possible to welcome illegal migrants with flowers,” said Plevris
Greece has also deployed naval patrols off Libya and is training Libyan coast guard officers to help reduce migrant arrivals.
