Greece may extend North Africa asylum ban if migrant flow resurges

In July, the government stopped processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea for three months in an effort to curb arrivals from Libya to Crete

Plevris said he could not rule out an extension to the suspension if there was a “new crisis“

ATHENS: Greece could extend a suspension on examining asylum applications passed by parliament last month if migrant flows from Libya start rising again, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said on Thursday.

In July, the center-right government stopped processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea for at least three months in an effort to curb arrivals from Libya to the Greek island of Crete.

In an interview with public broadcaster ERT, Plevris said he could not rule out an extension to the suspension if there was a “new crisis.”