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Greece blocks asylum claims for migrants on island of Crete after a surge in arrivals
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A woman prays as migrants from Africa rest in Agia port, Chania, Crete island, Greece, Monday, July 7, 2025. - photo by AP Photo/Giannis Angelakis
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — Greece's government said Wednesday it is temporarily suspending asylum applications for migrants arriving on the island of Crete, following a spike in arrivals from Libya. More than 2,000 migrants have landed on the island since the weekend, according to coast guard figures, bringing the total number of arrivals this year to over 10,000. Speaking in parliament, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said the government also planned to build a detention site on Crete for migrants and was seeking direct collaboration between the Libya and Greek coast guards to turn back boats leaving the North African country.