Greece submits request for return of 1,450 failed asylum seekers to Turkey

Greece has submitted a request to the European Commission and the EU's border agency Frontex, for the immediate return of 1,450 migrants whose asylum requests have been rejected, the country's Migration Ministry announced on Thursday.

From the 1,450 individuals that entered Greece from Turkey 995 are in Lesvos, 180 in Chios, 128 in Samos and 187 in Kos, the ministry said.

Under the EU-Turkey Statement signed in 2016 to curb migration to Europe, deportations back to Turkey are allowed for migrants whose application for asylum was denied.

In 2020, only 139 returns took place, because Turkey stopped the process on March 15 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Today the conditions for the restarting return procedures towards Turkey are ripe. During the last 10 months, by accelerating the asylum procedures and by implementing extensive testing and anti-Covid-19...