Migration inflow rising, 578 arrivals to Gavdos in 24 hours

[AP]

A total of 578 migrants person arrived connected Gavdos, Greece’s southernmost island, aboard 9 boats implicit the past day, according to state broadcaster ERT.

Combined with those already housed astatine a temporary installation successful Agia, adjacent Hania, the fig of migrants successful the portion has risen to 1,139, prompting section authorities to question contiguous transfers to closed facilities connected the mainland.

More than 450 radical spent Saturday nighttime connected Gavdos earlier the start of their gradual transfer northbound to Hora Sfakion connected Crete’s southern coast, and from there to Agia. The ιστοσελίδα presently hosts 561 migrants and is reported to beryllium overcrowded.

The union of Coast Guard workers has warned that “conditions are unsafe and unacceptable.” ERT besides reported tension and incidents astatine the installation connected Saturday night.

Despite tighter migration policies, flows to Crete person surged by 310% this year. A caller directive by Migration Minister Thanos Plevris replaces the term “irregular migration” with “illegal migration” successful authoritative documents, allows detention of rejected asylum seekers for up to 24 months, and sets situation terms of two to 5 years for those remaining illegally successful the country.