New migrant arrivals off Crete intensify concern in Athens

Greek authorities rescued dozens of migrants off southern Crete on Monday, as the island remains at the centre of a growing migration route from Libya that has caused increasing concern in Athens.

The latest arrivals come amid a sharp increase in crossings towards Crete. Greek authorities estimate that about 10,000 migrants have entered the country irregularly so far this year by land and sea, with nearly half having departed from Libya. The remainder are believed to have travelled from Turkey.

Tobruk has emerged as one of the main departure points for migrants from the Middle East, Africa and the Indian subcontinent. Many pay smuggling networks thousands of euros for the dangerous journey across the eastern Mediterranean, hoping to reach Greece and then move further into Europe.

The surge has put pressure on the Greek government, particularly after more than 600 arrivals were recorded in a single day last week. Migration Minister Thanos Plevris warned that Athens could adopt “very harsh” measures if the flows from Libya continue, although he did not provide further details.

Greece has sought cooperation from authorities in eastern Libya to stop departures, but those efforts have so far failed to produce results. Libya has remained deeply fragmented since the fall and killing of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, complicating any coordinated response to migrant smuggling networks.

Plevris has said that many of those arriving from Libya are Bangladeshi and Egyptian nationals, groups that, according to the Greek authorities, are generally less likely to qualify for refugee status.

At the same time, Athens points to a sharp reduction in migration flows from Turkey, with the minister saying arrivals in the eastern Aegean have fallen by around 70% following contacts with Turkish authorities. For years, the short sea crossing from Turkey’s western coast to Greek islands such as Lesvos, Samos and Kos was the main route into the European Union.