Migrants board a bus at the port of Paliochora, on the island of Crete on Sunday, after a late night rescue operation by the coast guard near the tiny island of Gavdos, southern Greece. [AP]
European Union states, including Greece, are pressing the European Commission for concrete answers on migration policy ahead of Thursday’s European Council summit, where the issue – though not high on the agenda – remains a major concern for southern states.
In a letter to the 27 leaders on Tuesday, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced plans to allocate €675 million between 2025 and 2027 to Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco and Libya to strengthen migration management. The initiative is of particular interest to Greece and other Mediterranean countries on the EU’s external border.
Von der Leyen noted a 23% drop in arrivals so far in 2025 but cited a 3% increase along the central Mediterranean route, calling Libya “the most significant departure country.” She emphasized the need for “close cooperation” with Libyan authorities and the need for the full implementation of the 2016 EU-Turkey migration deal, a matter directly affecting Greece’s frontline role.