Migrant flows down by 50% in first half of 2020

The influx of refugees and migrants to the islands in the first half of 2020 was reduced by 51% compared to the first six months of 2019, according to data released by the Migration Ministry on Monday.

According to data cited by government spokesman Stelios Petsas during his regular briefing of political editors, in the first half of 2020, flows decreased by 46% across the country. 

The decrease in the second quarter of 2020 (April-June) reached 92% compared to the corresponding period of 2019, the government spokesman noted.

At the same time, according to the same data, primary decisions on asylum applications increased by 88%. Specifically, in the first half of 2020, 46,554 decisions were issued compared to 24,701 in the corresponding period of 2019.

The pending decisions (first and second degree) were reduced to about 101,000 from almost 140,000 at the beginning of the year, according to the same data.