EU asylum agency to double staff in Greece

The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) will boost its operational deployments this year, with up to 550 personnel deployed in Greece, 150 in Italy, 120 in Cyprus and 60 in Malta, the agency said in a press release Tuesday.

The decision comes after the EU agency signed last year operating plans with the national asylum authorities of the four countries, following discussions on their needs.
The operating plan for Greece will see EASO roughly double its personnel in the country, including with almost three times as many caseworkers working in close cooperation with the Greek Asylum Service.
The agency will also continue to provide support in the overcrowded island hotspots and also in centres on the mainland, as well as targeted structural support to the Greek authorities on both asylum and reception.
Specifically on the mainland, the EU agency will "increase...