The minister stressed that the measures primarily target irregular migrants without a refugee profile who entered illegally.

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

‘All migrants who enter the country illegally will be arrested and detained,' the Greek PM announced in Parliament, referring to the ongoing situation on Crete from irregular migrant arrivals emanating from eastern Libya

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

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

Later in the day, Gerapetritis also met with Belkacem Haftar, who is tasked with Libya’s reconstruction efforts.

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

Residents battled flames overnight, meanwhile aerial firefighting begins on Chios

Authorities have not yet released details about the migrants’ nationalities or intended destination

Another boat of irregular migrants was spotted off the coast of Crete, leading to the rescue of 42 people by JRCC and FRONTEX.

Makis Voridis briefs opposition and ruling party MPs over a Commission proposal for a regulation to establish a common system for the return of third-country nationals staying illegally in the EU

A report published by Border Criminologies, a research team based at the University of Oxford, alleges that Greece regularly uses prolonged detention of migrants in police station cells in violation of its own laws. 

Initial 8.5-kilometer fence on Turkish side of the border in the Thrace province announced by Edirne governor

Suspect identified by police as a 39-year-old Turkish man whose asylum request had been rejected, and who resided in Greece illegally after being served a deportation order

Hundreds of children and teens die in the Mediterranean evert year. UNICEF calls on governments to prioritize safe migration pathways.

This new incident highlights once again the ongoing and steadily growing influx of refugees and irregular migrants to Crete

Many of these deaths occurred just in the last few months.

Media reports later cited five fatalities, dozens missing; 124 people rescued in 3 separate incidents involving migrant boats in the same sea region over recent period

Rescued group claims smugglers threw them into the waters off southern Rhodes