Greece will suspend asylum applications from migrants arriving by sea from North Africa for three months, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced Wednesday, citing a sharp increase in landings on the southern islands of Crete and Gavdos.
The decision follows a surge in arrivals from northeastern Libya, with more than 7,300 people reaching Greek shores so far in 2025—compared to roughly 5,000 for the entire year of 2004, according to government and aid agency figures.
“With legislation being submitted to parliament tomorrow, we will halt asylum processing for new arrivals from North Africa by sea, initially for a three-month period,” Mitsotakis told lawmakers.
The spike has overwhelmed Crete and Gavdos, which lack established reception centers and have scrambled to provide emergency accommodation. Recent arrivals include migrants from Sudan, Egypt, and Bangladesh.
Early Wednesday, the Greek coastguard said it rescued about 520 migrants off Gavdos, who are now being transferred to the mainland for further processing.
“Migrants who enter the country illegally will be arrested and detained,” Mitsotakis added, doubling down on his government’s hardline stance.
Greece was a primary entry point during the 2015–2016 migration crisis, when over a million people fleeing conflict and poverty in the Middle East and Africa arrived in Europe. The country has since tightened border controls and pushed for greater burden-sharing among EU states.