Greece passes North Africa asylum ban amid rights groups' opposition
FILE PHOTO: Newly-arrived migrants are sheltered in a municipal hall, in the town of Agyia, on the island of Crete, Greece, July 10, 2025. REUTERS/Nicolas Economou/File Photo
ATHENS - 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 ban comes amid a surge in migrants reaching the island of Crete and after talks with Libya's Benghazi-based government to stem the flow were cancelled acrimoniously this week.
It marks a further hardening of Greece's stance towards migrants under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' centre-right government, which has built a fence at its northern land borders and boosted sea patrols since it came to power in 2019.
Human rights groups accuse Greece of forcefully turning back asylum-seekers on its sea and land borders. This year, the European Union border agency said it was reviewing 12 cases of potential human rights violations by Greece.
The government denies wrongdoing.
The law, which received 177 votes in favour and 74 against, halts asylum processing for at least three months and allows authorities to quickly repatriate migrants without any prior identification process.
"Faced with the sharp increase in irregular arrivals by sea from North Africa, particularly from Libya to Crete, we have taken the difficult but absolutely necessary decision to temporarily suspend the examination of asylum applications," Mitsotakis was quoted by his office as telling the German newspaper Bild on Friday.
Top stories
Swipe. Select. Stay informed.
Singapore ST will have Govt's 'full confidence and support' in its mission to stay relevant: PM Wong
Singapore ST will aim to become an indispensable partner to S'pore's communities: Editor Jaime Ho
Singapore Heartbeats & Headlines: ST's 180-year legacy comes to life in immersive exhibition
Singapore Trusted news, smarter experience with new Straits Times website and app
Singapore Man who killed 5-year-old daughter gets life sentence after he appeals against 35-year jail term
Singapore Judge declines to void alleged sham marriage in S'pore, says it is for Parliament to decide
Business OCBC CEO Helen Wong to retire on Dec 31; Tan Teck Long named successor
Singapore More than 14,300 people checked during 7-week-long anti-crime ops
"Greece is not a gateway to Europe open to everyone."
Greece was on the front line of a migration crisis in 2015-16 when hundreds of thousands of migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa passed through its islands and mainland.
Since then, flows have dropped off dramatically. While there has been a rise in arrivals to the outlying islands of Crete and Gavdos - those numbers have quadrupled to over 7,000 so far this year - sea arrivals to Greece as a whole dropped by 5.5% to 17,000 in the first half of this year, U.N. data show.
Rights groups and opposition parties said the ban approved by parliament violates human rights.
"Seeking refuge is a human right; preventing people from doing so is both illegal and inhumane," said Martha Roussou, a senior advocacy adviser for aid group IRC.
Thousands of irregular migrants have been rescued by the Greek coastguard off Crete in recent days, the Athens government said. Hundreds of them, including children, were temporarily housed at an exhibition centre in Agyia, near the city of Chania in western Crete, amid sweltering summer temperatures.
Reuters footage on Friday showed a migrant who had fainted being taken out of the shelter on a stretcher.
Crete lacks an organised reception facility. The government said it would build a migrant camp there but the local tourist industry is worried the plan could harm the island's image.
'The weight is too great, the load is too big, and solutions now have to be found ... at a central level,' said George Tsapakos, a deputy governor for Crete. REUTERS
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
44 minutes ago
- Straits Times
Anger turns towards Washington in West Bank town mourning two men killed by settlers
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox People attend the funerals of Sayfollah Kamel Musallet, a Palestinian-American man who was beaten to death by settlers, and Mohammad Al-Shalabi, a man who was shot dead by Israeli forces, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry, near Ramallah, in the Israel-occupied West Bank July 13, 2025. REUTERS/Ammar Awad AL-MAZRA'A ASH-SHARQIYA, West Bank - Frustration among Palestinians grew towards the United States on Sunday as mourners packed the roads to a cemetery in the Israeli-occupied West Bank town of Al-Mazr'a Ash-Sharqiya for the burial of two men, one of them a Palestinian American, killed by settlers. Palestinian health authorities and witnesses said Sayfollah Musallet, 21, was beaten to death, and Hussein Al-Shalabi, 23, was shot in the chest by settlers during a confrontation on Friday night. Most of the small town's roughly 3,000 residents share family ties to the United States and many hold citizenship, including Musallet, who was killed weeks after flying to visit his mother in Al-Mazr'a Ash-Sharqiya, where he travelled most summers from Tampa, Florida. "There's no accountability," said his father Kamel Musallet, who flew from the United States to bury his son. "We demand the United States government do something about it ... I don't want his death to go in vain." Israeli killings of U.S. citizens in the West Bank in recent years include those of Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, Palestinian American teenager Omar Mohammad Rabea and Turkish American activist Aysenur Ezgi Eygi. A U.S. State Department spokesperson said on Friday it was aware of the latest death, but that the department had no further comment "out of respect for the privacy of the family and loved ones" of the victim. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore From Normal stream to Parliament: 3 Singapore politicians share their journeys World Deal or no deal? EU faces critical decision in response to Trump's latest tariff salvo Singapore Segregated recycling bins found to lower contamination rate as more spring up Sport Two participants injured after another breached safety protocol during Pesta Sukan archery event Asia Mahathir discharged from hospital after feeling fatigued during birthday gathering Singapore Medics treat 7 after blaze at HDB block lift lobby in Chai Chee Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons Many family and community members said they expected more, including that the United States would spearhead an investigation into who was responsible. A U.S. State Department spokesperson on Sunday referred questions on an investigation to the Israeli government and said it "has no higher priority than the safety and security of U.S. citizens overseas." The Israeli military had earlier said Israel was probing the incident. It said confrontations between Palestinians and settlers broke out after Palestinians threw rocks at Israelis, lightly injuring them. 'BETRAYAL' Musallet's family said medics tried to reach him for three hours before his brother managed to carry him to an ambulance, but he died before reaching the hospital. Local resident Domi, 18, who has lived in Al-Mazr'a Ash-Sharqiya for the last four years after moving back from the United States, said fears had spread in the community since Friday and his parents had discussed sending him to the United States. "If people have sons like this they are going to want to send them back to America because it's just not safe for them," he said. He had mixed feelings about returning, saying he wanted to stay near his family's land, which they had farmed for generations, and that Washington should do more to protect Palestinians in the West Bank. "It's a kind of betrayal," he said. Settler violence in the West Bank has risen since the start of Israel's war against Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza in late 2023, according to rights groups. Dozens of Israelis have also been killed in Palestinian street attacks in recent years and the Israeli military has intensified raids across the West Bank. Around 700,000 Israeli settlers live among 2.7 million Palestinians in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, territories Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. U.S. President Donald Trump in January rescinded sanctions imposed by the former Biden administration on Israeli settler groups and individuals accused of being involved in violence against Palestinians in the West Bank. Malik, 18, who used to visit Musallet's ice-cream shop in Tampa and had returned to the West Bank for a few months' vacation, said his friend's death had made him question his sense of belonging. "I was born and raised in America, I only come here two months of a 12-month year, if I die like that nobody's going to be charged for my murder," he said, standing in the cemetery shortly before his friend was buried. "No one's going to be held accountable." REUTERS
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Macron to raise France's defence targets, citing Russia threat
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox France's President Emmanuel Macron delivers a speech to army leaders at l'Hotel de Brienne in Paris, on July 13. PARIS - President Emmanuel Macron on July 13 called for a massive boost to France's defence spending, saying freedom in Europe was facing a greater threat than at any time since the end of World War II. 'We are living a pivotal moment,' Mr Macron said in a speech to the armed forces on the eve of the national Bastille Day holiday, denouncing 'imperialist policies', 'annexing powers' and the notion that 'might is right', all a reference to Russia. 'Never has peace on our continent depended to such an extent on the decisions that we take now,' said Mr Macron. France faced the challenge 'of remaining free and masters of our destiny', he added. Mr Macron said France's defence budget should rise by €3.5 billion (S$5.2 billion) in 2026, and then by a further €3 billion in 2027. 'Present at their battle stations' 'If you want to be feared, you must be powerful,' he said, calling for 'mobilisation' for national defence by all government departments. 'Everyone must be present at their battle stations,' Mr Macron said. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore From Normal stream to Parliament: 3 Singapore politicians share their journeys World Deal or no deal? EU faces critical decision in response to Trump's latest tariff salvo Singapore Segregated recycling bins found to lower contamination rate as more spring up Sport Two participants injured after another breached safety protocol during Pesta Sukan archery event Asia Mahathir discharged from hospital after feeling fatigued during birthday gathering Singapore Medics treat 7 after blaze at HDB block lift lobby in Chai Chee Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons 'We are still ahead, but if we remain at the same speed we will be overtaken tomorrow,' he added. French military and security officials have been warning of global threats weighing on France, with Defence Chief of Staff Chief Thierry Burkhard saying on July 11 that Russia posed a 'durable' threat to Europe and that the 'rank of European countries in tomorrow's world' was being decided in Ukraine, invaded by Russia in 2022. Russia currently views France as its 'main adversary in Europe', Mr Burkhard said. He also warned of the consequences of a diminished US commitment to Europe, along with cyber threats, disinformation campaigns and the risk of terror attacks. 'We have to take account of the fact that there has been a change in strategic parameters,' he said. On July 13, Defence Minister Sebastien Lecornu weighed in, telling the La Tribune weekly newspaper that 'it's our job to provide answers'. France needed to make 'a new effort' if it wanted to 'depend on nobody' in the future, the minister said. France's defence budget has already increased sharply since Mr Macron took power, rising from €32.2 billion ($48 billion at current rates) in 2017 to €50.5 billion currently, and is projected to reach €67 billion in 2030. 'Sacrosanct' defence budget If confirmed, the major defence spending boost could, however, threaten French efforts to cut deficits and reduce its debt mountain, amid pressure from the EU Commission on Paris to impose more fiscal discipline. The servicing of France's debt alone will cost the Treasury €62 billion this year. But Prime Minister Francois Bayrou, who on July 15 is to outline his budget plan for 2026, has declared the defence budget to be 'sacrosanct' and exempt from budgetary cuts. In July 13's speech, Mr Macron rejected any financing of the additional defence spending through additional debt. Several Nato countries are boosting their military spending, after the alliance's members agreed in June to spend five percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) on security. Britain aims to increase its defence budget to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, and to 3.0 per cent after 2029. Germany plans to reach a defence budget of €162 billion by 2029, equivalent to 3.5 per cent of its GDP, while Poland already dedicates 4.7 per cent of GDP to defence. 'Very clearly, we need to revise our programming and strategy today, in light of the changing nature of risks,' Mr Macron said on July 10. Mr Lecornu in July detailed the most urgent needs for the French armed forces, including ground-to-air defences, ammunition, electronic warfare and space capabilities. In July 13's interview, he said France was mostly worried about falling behind in 'disruptive technologies' including artificial intelligence and quantum technology. Beyond budget increases, the French government is also seeking to boost 'national cohesion' in the face of global crises, Elysee officials said. Mr Macron is expected to outline a potential mobilisation drive for young people who should be given 'an opportunity to serve', Elysee officials said. AFP
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
South Africa's Ramaphosa removes police minister over criminal link allegations
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox FILE PHOTO: South African President Cyril Ramaphosa attends a press conference, after his White House meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, in Washington, D.C., U.S., May 21, 2025. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo JOHANNESBURG - South African President Cyril Ramaphosa placed police minister Senzo Mchunu on immediate leave of absence on Sunday, following accusations by a top police official that he had colluded with a criminal syndicate and interfered in high-profile investigations. Mchunu denied the allegations by Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, police commissioner of KwaZulu-Natal province, at a media briefing last Sunday. He said the accusations were baseless and in a statement issued by his spokesperson last week said he was committed to upholding the rule of law. Ramaphosa, whose rise to the highest office was built on promises to fight corruption, has been under pressure to act swiftly as political parties and citizens said the allegations called into question the integrity of the criminal justice system. Investors have for years expressed concern over rampant crime that the World Bank estimates costs South Africa an estimated 10% of gross domestic product each year. "These allegations therefore call for an urgent and comprehensive investigation," Ramaphosa said in a public address which was carried by the public broadcaster and private TV stations, adding he would establish a judicial commission of inquiry for this purpose. Ramaphosa said he will appoint law professor Firoz Cachalia as acting minister of police. Mchunu is a senior figure in Ramaphosa's African National Congress (ANC) party, and political analysts have said he could run for a leadership position at the ANC's next elective conference in 2027. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore From Normal stream to Parliament: 3 Singapore politicians share their journeys World Deal or no deal? EU faces critical decision in response to Trump's latest tariff salvo Singapore Segregated recycling bins found to lower contamination rate as more spring up Sport Two participants injured after another breached safety protocol during Pesta Sukan archery event Asia Mahathir discharged from hospital after feeling fatigued during birthday gathering Singapore Medics treat 7 after blaze at HDB block lift lobby in Chai Chee Singapore I lost my daughter to Kpod addiction: Father of 19-year-old shares heartbreak and lessons Citing digital evidence such as WhatsApp messages, Mkhwanazi's allegations included that Mchunu had disbanded a police unit tasked with investigating politically motivated killings to protect politicians, police officers and other people linked to a criminal syndicate. Mkhwanazi said more than 100 case files were taken away from the political killings task team and have not been investigated further since. The Democratic Alliance party, the ANC's main coalition partner, called for a parliamentary inquiry into the allegations against Mchunu. At least one opposition party has called for his suspension. REUTERS
