Migrant flows low but asylum applications high
Despite the significant decrease in migrant flows from Turkey to the Greek islands in recent months, the number of asylum applications remains high as 98,279 decisions are still pending.
At the same time, the number of asylum seekers who remain at islands reception and identification centers has dropped according to official data, mainly due to transfers to the mainland. However, living conditions have not improved.
From May to July, in contrast to what happened every summer after the 2015 refugee crisis, migration flows fell to 1,300. What’s more, most ended up on Lesvos.
Only eight people arrived on Samos, while Chios, Leros and Kos had zero arrivals. In the same period last year 12,911 asylum seekers arrived on islands with reception centers.
