On Wednesday, November 10, the Republic of Cyprus announced that it was submitting a request to the European Commission in order to suspend applications for asylum for all those who arrive in the country without the correct papers.
Greece is seeking an agreement with Pakistan and Bangladesh to take back migrants who are 'not entitled' to asylum. Around 250 people from the two countries were on a Turkish cargo ship that broke down off Crete.
There has been a slight rise in the number of Syrian refugees in Turkey, according to the Turkish migration authorities. The city of Istanbul alone hosts more than half a million Syrian exiles.
By ANSA Published on : 2021/03/17
The EU high representative for foreign affairs, Josep Borrell, has declared that a migrant deal between Europe and Turkey remains valid. He said the accord reached five years ago has produced tangible results.
The European Union s most senior foreign affairs official, Josep Borrell, on Monday affirmed the validity of the EU pact with Turkey on migration. Borrell was responding to journalists who asked him whether the accord would be renewed. The EU-Turkey Declaration remains valid and must be implemented and will continue to remain the fundamental framework for cooperation and migration, Borrell said. It is a commitment of reciprocal trust that calls for continuous efforts on everyone s part. It has been much criticized but I think it has produced tangible results, he said.
The Greek government has called on the European Union to help ensure the return of 1,450 failed asylum seekers currently in camps on the Greek Islands to Turkey "on the basis of the EU-Turkey deal".