Greece, Crete and Libya
Digest more
Greece's parliament has approved a three-month suspension of asylum claims for migrants arriving from Libya despite strong criticism from the United Nations refugee agency and Europe's top human rights official.
Greek lawmakers voted on Friday to temporarily stop processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea in a bid to reduce arrivals into Europe's southernmost tip, a move rights groups and opposition parties have called illegal.
The European Commission appears to endorse Greek government plans to suspend some applications for asylum, in what civil society describe as a clear violation of EU and international law.
His son, Belkacem Haftar – head of the Organization for Reconstruction and Development and the official who met with Greek Foreign Minister G. Gerapetritis last Sunday – invited the Greek Consul General in Benghazi, A. Kalognomis, to his home on Wednesday evening to discuss bilateral cooperation planning.
Greece intercepts over 500 migrants near Crete, taking emergency actions due to rising Mediterranean crossings from Libya. The influx has overwhelmed local facilities, prompting the suspension of asylum processing for three months.
In a significant shift in migration policy, Greece is implementing stringent new measures to deter irregular flows, particularly from Libya.
Authorities in eastern Libya have refused entry to three European ministers and the EU commissioner for migration on alleged entry violations.
Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the strongman of eastern Libya, received Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis on Monday during an official visit marked by high-stakes political and economic talks.
Feedback