Greece announces harsher measures to address migrant flow from Libya

ATHENS

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Wednesday harsher measures to address migrant flow from Libya.

Addressing the parliament amid a significant surge in migrant arrivals to Crete island from Libya, Mitsokakis said the situation Greece faces requires "requires extraordinary measures."

In this regard, he said, "Greece will inform the European Commission that it is proceeding with a legislative regulation to suspend review of asylum applications for three months of the migrants arriving in Greece from North Africa by boat."

"Any migrants who enter the country illegally will be arrested and detained," Mitsotakis stressed.

"It will be much more difficult for someone to reach Greece by sea. Our response will be legal but also very strict. The (government) motion will be discussed and voted on tomorrow," he said.

The premier also announced that the government plans to establish a new closed reception facility on the southern island of Crete to help manage the migrants arriving to Crete with the option of creating a second center when necessary.

Since early summer, Crete experienced significant surge of migrant arrivals.

In response, in late June, Athens announced deployment of warships off the coast of Libya.

Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis also visited Benghazi to discuss the matter, among others, with Khalifa Haftar, commander of the eastern Libyan forces.