By Tasos Kokkinidis
Jul 9, 2025
In an urgent response to a dramatic surge in migrant flows, particularly from Libya to Crete, Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday announced a series of stringent new measures, including a three-month suspension of asylum application processing for those arriving by sea from North Africa.
The Prime Minister, who met earlier with Minister of Migration Thanos Plevris, addressed Parliament to detail the government’s emergency response. “You know the number of illegal immigrants who have arrived in Crete in recent weeks. This emergency situation requires emergency response measures,” Mitsotakis stated.
The government is set to inform the European Commission of its decisions, which will be formalized in a regulation submitted to Parliament tomorrow. Key measures include:
Detention of All Arrivals: All migrants entering the country illegally will be arrested and detained. Prime Minister Mitsotakis cited yesterday’s significant rescue operation south of Crete, confirming that those rescued will be transferred to Lavrio and subsequently to closed structures under the Ministry of Immigration.
Creation of New Closed Structures in Crete: A permanent closed detention facility will be established in Crete to house those who enter illegally. The government is also considering the creation of a second such structure on the island.
Cooperation with Libyan Authorities: Discussions are ongoing with both the legitimate government of Western Libya and that of Eastern Libya. The Greek Armed Forces have expressed willingness to cooperate with Libyan authorities to prevent boats from departing the Libyan coast.
“Let us all be clear, and I will await the opposition’s position,” Mitsotakis emphasized. “The government is sending a message of determination that the passage to Greece is closing. It is sending this to all traffickers and their potential customers that the money they spend may be completely wasted. Obviously, our reaction will be legal and very strict.”
Greece’s Crete is overwhelmed by migrants
The Prime Minister’s announcement comes as Crete grapples with an unprecedented influx of migrants, with nearly 2,000 people arriving on the island in the past 48 hours alone. This surge has pushed existing reception facilities beyond their capacity, leading to what local authorities describe as “unmanageable” and “inhumane” living conditions.
Since the beginning of the year, over 9,000 migrants have reached Crete, marking a staggering increase of more than 350 percent compared to last year. On Monday alone, 963 new arrivals were recorded, with testimonies suggesting an even larger wave is expected.
Local officials have been sounding the alarm. Eleni Zervoudaki, Chania’s deputy mayor for social policy, stated, “We are at the peak of our hosting capacity.” Nikos Kalogeris, deputy regional governor of Chania, described the situation as “unmanageable” and highlighted the inadequacy of temporary accommodation facilities, urging immediate government intervention.
Reports indicate that thousands of refugees are “literally piled up in miserable conditions,” exposed to the sun or in poorly ventilated rooms, raising serious health concerns. Transportation means are also insufficient for timely movement from arrival points.
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