With undeniable intensity and unprecedented pace, one after another the boats full of immigrants arrive in southern Crete. Monday, within a few hours there were over 550 people, while overall exceed 1,500 from Sunday. As immigrants say, they paid up to 5,000 euros each to leave Libya, where they are waiting at least Another 5,000 people. Authorities and residents have reached their limits, with the government announcing drastic measures.
The situation in Crete is suffocating, as a number of records of immigrants from the Libyan coasts were recorded on Sunday, with 959 people reaching our country only in one day. Dozens of immigrants arrive on the beaches of Lenta, Viscos and Loutra daily.
The traffickers gather the immigrants who are interested in leaving Libya in the port of Tobruk. After 4 days in the sea, they are either off the coast of Gavdos and more selected, or landed in the ports of Loutra, Lenta and Visko. From there they are transferred to structures in Heraklion and Rethymnon and then transferred to the inland.
Residents of southern Crete are calling for the state to intervene before the situation becomes even worse, in the midst of a tourist season.
The government plan
With the aim of cooperating with Benghazi, Foreign Minister George Grapetritis met on Sunday with General Khalifa Haphtar. The Greek effort continues with the visit of the Minister of Migration and Asylum, Thanou Plevris on Tuesday in Libya. Mr Plevris will accompany the EU Brunner Migration and Home Affairs Commissioner. The aim of the mission to which the Italian and Malta interior ministers also participate in is the diplomatic management of the phenomenon and to find a common European solution.
The problem is European, stressed by the government, and cooperation with Libya must be found. Cooperation It also concerns European funds That is why the activation of European officials. There will be contacts with both the authorities of Benghazi and the authorities of Tripoli. Port and Navy have been activated to guard the maritime borders, but the area is very large and not all migratory waves can be deterred if they do not stop from the coast of Libya, and there will be the most burden on the Greek side.
For his part, Mr Plevris, as ministry sources pointed out to RES-EIA, goes to Libya in search of cooperation with the country’s authorities in order to deter. In addition, the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum clarifies that it has no involvement – in the process of arresting and transferring the illegal entry refugees/immigrants, until they are transferred to the structures of the Ministry, where they are recorded and identified.
Telephone communication with his Italian counterpart
In addition, George Gerapetritis had a telephone conversation with his Italian counterpart Antonio Tangiani on Monday. During the telephone communication, the two foreign ministers discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and North Africa.
The Foreign Minister also briefed his Italian counterpart on his visit to Benghazi.
Constant deterioration of the situation
It is noted that Migration pressure from Libya to Crete is not a new phenomenon, but is gradually exacerbated by September 2023, when the first flows began to appear. By an average of 120 arrivals per month, the numbers increased rapidly, reaching 528 in February 2024. The year closed with average 400 arrivals monthly and in total with 4,820 arriving.
The escalation continued in 2025, with arrivals already amounting to 7,124 people by June 30, according to Port Authority. In particular, June set a new record with 2,564 arrivals in a month. As the European Commission President, Ursula von der Layen, characteristically stated, in a letter to 27 in late June, ‘Illegal crossings to the European Union are now coming 93% from Libya. “
Source: Skai
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