Addressing left-wing parties, he said the framework on migration and returns would become stricter,

Minister Thanos Plevris spoke from the eastern Aegean Island of Lesbos (Lesvos), the hardest hit of Greece’s regions during the 2015 migration crisis

Greece signals it will not become an open-border country as migration arrivals drop. Minister Thanos Plevris outlines stricter asylum rules, upcoming legislation, and policies to integrate recognized refugees while reducing dependency on state aid

Despite persistent inquiries from, the European Commission has refused to respond to questions about Turkey’s potential role in facilitating migration flows from Libya

A central theme of the discussion was the continued coordination between Greece and Egypt on matters concerning maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean.

“If you enter Europe illegally or if your asylum application is rejected, you have no right to stay in Europe", the Greek minister said.

The migration route from Libya continues to pose a significant challenge for Greek authorities. According to Plevris, this area was responsible for 4,000 illegal entries last year, while numbers have already surged to 10,000 in just the first half of 2025

In April, an incident was reported where surveillance cameras were turned off as a "riot control" team violently suppressed detainees protesting the lack of medical treatment for a prisoner suffering continuous coughing up of blood

From Benghazi to brussels, Vandewalle highlights how the absence of unified governance in Libya continues to destabilize the Mediterranean. The Professor argues that international interventions—especially from turkey and Russia—have transformed Libya into a geopolitical chessboard.

The diplomatic mission follows closely on the heels of a formal note sent by Libya to the United Nations, in which Tripoli challenges Greece's delineation of its maritime borders.

A recent visit by Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis to Benghazi was reportedly well-received by Haftar and his inner circle. Though the talks were informal, Greek diplomats interpreted the visit as a goodwill gesture, signaling Eastern Libya's interest in closer ties with Athens—even in the face of stronger economic offers from Ankara

"The humanitarian situation would be manageable if authorities had addressed the lack of reception capacity in a timely manner", said the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty

As irregular migrant flows from Libya surge toward Greek shores—especially Crete—the Greek government is preparing to adopt severe deterrent measures to manage what officials describe as an escalating crisis

The delegation, led by the relevant EU Commissioner, was ordered to leave Benghazi after the de facto leader of eastern Libya, Gen. Haftar, declined to meet with them

By June 30, 7,124 individuals had arrived from Libya, according to data from the Hellenic Coast Guard. In June alone, a record 2,564 people reached Crete

On Sunday nearly 1,000 people arrived via landings or after being picked up by authorities south of Crete. A day later another 489 were located by the coast guard and Frontex units

Migrant smugglers operating from eastern Libya have recently stepped efforts to reach or get near Crete before calling authorities for assistance

Stepped up migrant smuggling flows emanating from strife-plagued Libya are expected to top Magnus Brunner 's agenda of talks with Greek leadership

Plevris’s return to the cabinet signals a shift toward a more right-leaning political stance by Athens, at a time when the government is facing mounting political pressure and internal instability.