Arrivals and Departures: Greek authorities on the islands of Lesvos and Chios returned on Monday (4 April) 202 persons on boats bound for Turkey, the first to be sent back as part of the EU-Turkey agreement. The operation started at dawn with persons being escorted onto small ferries by Frontex officers to nearby ports on the Turkish coast. The operation was supervised by a lieutenant general of the Greek police and occurred peacefully. A total of 136 persons were returned from Lesvos and 66 from the nearby island of Chios. There is no timetable for further returns. Examining [asylum] applications will take some time" Giorgios Kyritsis, spokesman for the coordinating committee for refugees noted. According to the Greek authorities, no asylum-seekers have been sent back.
UNHCR is concerned however, that 13 individuals (including some Afghans) among those returned from Chios had indicated to UNHCR their intention to apply for asylum, but may not have had the opportunity to formally register their intention with local authorities. Meanwhile, on the Aegean islands, many media reports are seen with persons complaining of not being given sufficient time and access to the asylum procedure. It is to be noted that about 4,000 migrants and refugees are being detained on Greek islands since the agreement came into effect March 20.
The number of refugee arrivals in Italy this year is already 80% higher than in the same period in 2015. At the UN’s Geneva conference on Syrian refugees last Wednesday (30 March), Italy’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Paolo Gentiloni, announced that 3,700 people had been rescued over the previous five days alone. Gentiloni put the total number of asylum seekers having made the crossing in the first three months of 2016 at 18,234. To date there are very few arrivals from Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan to Italy.
Condition of People: Greek authorities recorded an estimated 2,870 people who expressed interest in applying for asylum. Greek authorities confirmed that these people will not be sent back until their claim is assessed, a procedure that is bound to last at least two weeks. Support from the EU member states to assist Greek authorities in this matter is expected to arrive this Wednesday.
The European Commission issued a fact sheet containing detailed information on the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement.
Critical Developments: 32 Syrian nationals belonging to six families, landed at Hanover airport early on Monday morning on a flight from Istanbul while 11 people were relocated to Finland. Another group is expected to arrive to the Netherlands today (5 April).
On Monday, in a statement by Commissioner Avramopoulos following his visit to Ankara, it was highlighted that regarding the refugee issue “the aim is to replace disorganised, chaotic, irregular and dangerous migratory flows by organised, safe and legal pathways to Europe for those entitled to international protection in line with EU and international law.” On 2 April, the Austrian Defense Minister, Hans Peter Doskozil, said that Austria will soon impose higher border controls along the Italian border and is likely to deploy military personnel in the area. According to the statement, the troops would help protect the border, administer aid as well as register and deport migrants. The EU Chief Spokesperson, Margaritis Schinas, said that Austria will not violate any Schengen rules if it imposes stricter border controls along the Italian border.
Weather Headlines: Fine, dry and much warmer than average across the region on Wednesday and Thursday, with a risk especially in the north and west of Greece.
Becoming more unsettled through the weekend, with thundery showers, strong winds and rough seas.