Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris addressed the migration issue yesterday, Tuesday (5/8), focusing on the reasons that contributed to the significant reduction in migration flows from Libya, the new framework for returns and hosting facilities coming to a parliamentary vote, as well as the new facility planned for Crete within two months with European funding.
“The message was sent”
Thanos Plevris, speaking to Mega about the situation of migration flows to Crete following the passage of the amendment to suspend asylum application processing, noted characteristically that “in 25 days, one-third of the people who arrived in the first eight days of July have reached the island.” “In the first week of July, when there was no decision to suspend asylum, in eight days (July 1-9) 2,462 entered. Since then, fewer than 900 have entered, with 500 in the first days after the amendment was passed.”
According to the minister, this change is due to three factors: “First, there was intense diplomacy, including from the Foreign Minister, for cooperation with Libyan authorities, and at this moment it appears to be better. Second, in the first week, when flows were intense, there were mobile phone messages that the journey to Greece was safe and borders were open. Those who entered after the amendment are not hosted guests, they are detainees under prison conditions, so the message was sent. Third, weather played an important role, but this is supplementary, because during this period there were at least 10-15 days of summer weather.”
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