After 850 migrant arrivals in Crete in just two days, Minister Thanos Plevris emphasized that the new arrivals are detained, not hosted. A decongestion plan is underway alongside enhanced sea surveillance.
- Arrivals: 850 migrants reached Crete over one weekend.
- Status: All are under detention, not in hospitality centers, as asylum is suspended for illegal entries.
- Measures: Decongestion plan launched; all new arrivals to be transferred off Crete within 2–3 days.
- Surveillance: New maritime route from Libya under investigation; Coast Guard and Ministry of Defense involved.
A Crisis on Crete
The images from Crete this week are stark: hundreds of men, women, and children arriving on the island’s shores, 850 in just two days. The government has responded with urgency, insisting the situation is being managed under strict detention protocols.
Speaking on national broadcaster ERT, Minister of Migration and Asylum Thanos Plevris moved to clarify what he called “misunderstandings” about the newcomers’ status.
“Δεν πρόκειται για δομές φιλοξενίας, αλλά για χώρους περιορισμού, καθώς αυτοί οι άνθρωποι θεωρούνται κρατούμενοι.”
“These are not hospitality centers, but spaces of restriction, as these people are considered detainees.”
Detention, Not Hospitality
Plevris stressed that asylum applications are suspended for those entering Greece illegally. All new arrivals are placed under administrative detention or restriction of freedom.
A decongestion plan began on Monday. According to the minister, within two to three days, all newcomers will be transferred from Crete to designated facilities on the mainland.
“Μέσα σε δύο-τρεις μέρες θα έχουν φύγει όλοι.”
“Within two to three days, they will all be gone.”
The Numbers Behind the Pressure
- Over 850 arrivals in Crete in one weekend.
- Temporary facilities were never meant to exceed 1,000 people.
- In the eastern Aegean, flows have fallen 11% due to cooperation with the Turkish Coast Guard.
- Crete now shows signs of a new migration channel opening from Libya.
Security on the Libyan Front
The minister confirmed that operations are underway in the Libyan maritime zone, with the Coast Guard and Ministry of Defense jointly monitoring and patrolling.
“Αν συνεχιστεί το φαινόμενο, θα υπάρξει κλιμάκωση και σε αυτό το σκέλος.”
“If the phenomenon continues, there will be escalation on this front.”
The tone from Athens is unambiguous: the government views Crete’s sudden spike in arrivals not as a humanitarian accommodation but as a security and migration management challenge. What remains unclear is whether this weekend’s 850 arrivals mark an isolated incident or the beginning of a sustained new route into Europe’s southern border.
