Greece Implements Emergency Measures Amid Migrant Surge

In an escalating crisis, more than 500 migrants were brought to Lavrio port near Athens after being intercepted by Greek authorities south of Crete. This move comes as Greece struggles with a sudden increase in Mediterranean crossings from Libya, prompting emergency measures.

The migrants, mainly young men, were transferred overnight via a bulk carrier after their original vessel, a fishing trawler, was intercepted. With Crete's makeshift reception centers overwhelmed by about 500 new daily arrivals, the decision was made to transfer them to mainland detention facilities.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced a temporary halt to asylum processing for three months for those arriving by sea from North Africa, a measure primarily affecting arrivals on Crete. This decision coincides with strained EU-Libya relations, notably impacting migration cooperation amidst disagreements on negotiation formats.

(With inputs from agencies.)