Greece deports second batch of migrants
Print Edition
GREECE deported a second batch of more than a hundred migrants to Turkey yesterday under a controversial deal to stem mass migration as Germany announced a sharp drop in asylum claims.
Police sources said a first boat left the Greek island of Lesbos carrying 45 Pakistani men, while a second carried 79 migrants, also mainly Pakistanis, back across the Aegean Sea where hundreds have lost their lives in a quest to reach Europe.
A small group of activists leapt into the water, clutching onto the anchor of the first ferry in an unsuccessful bid to stop a deportation effort which rights groups have harshly criticized.
Some 30 protesters also gathered at Lesbos’ port, chanting “Stop deportations,” “EU, shame on you” and “Freedom for the refugees.”
Hours later the boats arrived in the Turkish harbor town of Dikili where the downcast migrants, clutching blankets and with small backpacks on their shoulders, were escorted off the vessels by security officials.
Meanwhile, several European foreign ministers were heading yesterday to Greece and Turkey to discuss the latest developments in the migrant crisis, Dutch officials said.
The deportations are taking place under a deal between Turkey and the European Union, which is straining under the pressure from the unprecedented flow of migrants into its territory.
Turkey is a main launching pad for the migrants fleeing war and poverty in North Africa and the Middle East — many of whom are from Syria — for a better life in Europe.
Turkey has promised to take back all irregular migrants landing on the Greek islands since March 20 — a figure which currently stands at about 6,000 — while Europe has agreed to resettle one Syrian refugee directly from camps in Turkey for each Syrian deported.
The threat of deportation is aimed at discouraging refugees from undertaking the often deadly crossing in flimsy boats.
The transfers began Monday with some 200 migrants returned to Turkey, but then stalled after a last-minute flurry of asylum applications by those desperate to avoid expulsion.
Human rights watchdogs say the scheme is badly flawed, and have raised concerns that migrants may not have the chance to apply for asylum before being deported.
While concerns remain over the deal, Germany — Europe’s top destination for refugees — said it had “got off to a good start”.
Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere announced that asylum applications had dropped 66 percent in March.
“In December 2015, it was 120,000 people, in January 90,000, in February 60,000 and in March 20,000,” the minister said.
De Maiziere has warned that the shutdown of the Turkey-Greece route may encourage more migrants to attempt the even more dangerous Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy.
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