Illegal arrivals in Greece registered a new decrease in November, by 33.2%, compared to the previous month, in October 2023. The number of illegal arrivals reached 4,584 in November compared to 6,863 in October. In October there was a 40.2% decrease in illegal arrivals compared to September. The total reduction between November and September 2023 reaches 60%.

The biggest decrease was in November in Samos, where it exceeded 87% compared to October and 95% compared to September 2023. On the contrary, the migratory pressure seems to persist in Lesvos while it is significantly reduced throughout the rest of the Eastern Aegean and minimal in Evros.

The decrease would be greater if the October and November figures did not include the records of irregular migrants in Rhodes concerning earlier arrivals.

In detail, irregular migrant flows started to increase from mid-2022, after the very low levels they were at throughout 2021. Their first peak occurred in November 2022. They followed an upward trend again from June this year and peaked in September this year.

From the last ten days of September, their gradual and accelerated de-escalation began. The de-escalation of flows is due to the effective guarding of the borders by ELAS and the Coast Guard and to better cooperation with Turkey, as the Ministry of Migration and Asylum comments.

“The de-escalation of flows is the product of an integrated and multi-layered strategy to deal with irregular migration and illegal trafficking. It is remarkable if compared to the rise of the phenomenon observed elsewhere, such as in Italy, Croatia and also in Spain (Canary Islands). Greece has managed to have fewer arrivals than most EU member states in the southern and eastern outer perimeter of the Schengen area. The arrivals it has, are managed efficiently and safely, both for the asylum seekers and for the local communities, within organized structures”, adds the ministry.

At the same time, the decongestion of the Eastern Aegean islands continues as there are continuous transfers of registered asylum seekers to the mainland. The islands have been reinforced with additional staff from the central agency, ELAS, the European Asylum Agency (EUAA) and FRONTEX.

“Unlike what happens in other countries, Greece has the highest rate of registration and identification of new arrivals, for the benefit of national and European security, through a reliable and fast asylum process that has been praised internationally. Today, Greece is leading the way in dealing with the problem of irregular immigration and illegal trafficking and is a leading player in shaping the new common immigration and asylum policy of the European Union”, the ministry asserts in a statement.

The Ministry of Immigration and Asylum, in cooperation with the security authorities of the country, the competent ministries as well as the European Commission and the European partners, as it states in the same announcement, is on full alert to deal, in the best possible way, with any possible emergency that may arise from international developments.