Athens Closes Border to Certain Nationalities Crossing From Turkey

People hailing from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Somalia and Syria will no longer be allowed to seek an asylum claim in Greece if they arrive via Turkey, said Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis on Monday.

“This is an important step in the fight against illegal migration and the criminal activity of those involved in people smuggling,’’ he said.

He argued that Turkey was a safe country in its own right where people can make asylum claims.

The new policy builds upon an agreement struck between Turkey and the European Union in 2016, under which Turkey tries to fight irregular migration into the EU and under which Greece was allowed to send migrants who reach the Aegean islands without permission to Turkey.

In return, for every Syrian returned to Turkey this way, the EU would allow one Syrian migrant in a camp in Turkey to be brought inside the EU.

The EU also signed on to provide financial aid to Turkey, which was to be used in supporting the migrants living there.

Sources in the Greek coastguard said Monday’s announcement was to make clear to individuals from the named countries that there was no chance of entering the European Union without prior permission.

The number of migrants living in refugee camps on the Greek islands has been in decline of late.

Latest government figures show that there are fewer than 9,000 people living on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Kos, Leros and Samos. Last year, the number stood at more than 40,000.