Greek lawmakers have voted to temporarily halt asylum requests from North African migrants arriving by sea, a decision criticized by rights groups as illegal. The move follows a surge in migrants reaching Crete and marks a tightening of Greece’s migration policies under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government.

The coast guard noted 7,300 asylum-seekers have reached Crete and a nearby island this year, up from fewer than 5,000 in 2024. More than 2,500 arrivals have been recorded since June alone.

Firefighters struggled to gain control over a massive wildfire burning on the Greek island of Crete, as powerful winds fanned the flames.

Greece intercepts over 500 migrants near Crete, taking emergency actions due to rising Mediterranean crossings from Libya. The influx has overwhelmed local facilities, prompting the suspension of asylum processing for three months.

ATHENS (Reuters) -Gale force wind gusts complicated efforts on Friday to contain wildfires on Crete that have razed forests and olive groves and forced thousands of residents and tourists to evacuate.

Most of those fleeing the blaze were tourists. Firefighters struggled against heavy winds to bring the flames under control.

Greece is temporarily suspending asylum applications for migrants arriving on Crete due to a surge in arrivals from Libya, with over 2,000 migrants landing since the weekend. The government plans to build a detention site and seek collaboration with the Libyan coast guard to deter boats.

Greek lawmakers voted on Friday to temporarily stop processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea in a bid to reduce arrivals into Europe's southernmost tip, a move rights groups and opposition parties have called illegal.