Greece says it is resuming deportations of migrants to Turkey in an effort to address an increase in arrivals over the summer months that have worsened overcrowding at camps on Greek islands, The Associated Press reported.
Giorgos Koumoutsakos, the minister in charge of migration policy, said 15 asylum-seekers whose applications had been rejected were to be sent back to Turkey from a nearby Greek island Friday, but gave no further details.
He told private Skai television that 75,000 migrants in Greece were currently having their asylum applications reviewed, including 9,000 whose applications had been rejected but were appealing the decision. He said camps on five eastern Greek islands, where movement is restricted, were up to three times overcapacity.
Greece is the European Union’s busiest entry point for illegal migration, overtaking Italy last year.