Greece’s immigration minister has warned migrants not to try entering his country, threatening to put in jail or send back home those who do try. Greece is a key gateway into the European Union for migrants and refugees hailing from Africa, Asia and the Middle East.
Athens has been cracking down on migration. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s government recently proposed legislation which would see migrants entering Greece from North Africa by sea barred from seeking asylum for three months. Immigration Minister, Thanos Plevris, warned those waiting in North Africa: “Don’t come here.”
He told MailOnline the Greeks want to help “real” refugees, but his country would not be taken for fools.
Mr Plevris added: “It is the end of the fairy tale that those coming to Greece and Europe in incredible numbers are all women and children. They are mainly men aged between 18 and 30 who are economic migrants. We are not a hotel any more.”
The minister said those who arrive on Greece’s shores “illegally” by boat should prepare themselves for five years in jail or a ticket home instead of being granted asylum.
His comments come after the number of migrants travelling from North Africa to Crete and Gavdos surged.
Human rights groups have said Athens’ legislation violates international and European law. The International Rescue Committee has said seeking refuge is a human right and preventing people from doing so is illegal and inhumane.
Mr Plevris said the “big problem” is Libya, from where vessels carrying up to 300 people embark for Greece.
He said three million migrants are massing in the North African country and his plan is to deter them from setting off for Greece in the first place.
The new law has already secured overwhelming support from Greek parliamentarians.
Brussels has backed Athens’ legislative efforts to deter migrants and refugees, describing the situation for Greece as “exceptional”.
A total of 56,066 irregular migrants were recorded entering Greece in 2024, which averages to about 155 per day, according to the country’s Ministry for Immigration and Asylum.