Category: Balkans

On July 9, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced the suspension of the processing of asylum applications for migrants who arrived in Greece by sea from North Africa. The sea route from Libya to Europe via the southern Greek Islands has become increasingly popular among migrants, with authorities reporting over 7,300 arrivals since the beginning of the year. This surge in arrivals from Libya has led to the detention of more than 1,200 migrants on the island of Crete and the nearby islet of Gavdos over the past three days. In response to the recent influx, Greece plans to end mass legalisation programmes for migrants and to detain those awaiting deportation, with these measures set to take effect this summer.

Greece Tightens its Asylum Policies Amid New Surge in Migration

Posted on July 10, 2025 by Clemens Franke

Greece has been a primary gateway to the European Union for migrants and refugees from the Middle East, Africa, and Asia for an extended period, particularly since 2015. In recent….

Balkans

Bosnia and Herzegovina Signs Agreement with the EU

Posted on June 19, 2025June 20, 2025 by Clemens Franke

On 11 June 2025, the European Union and Bosnia and Herzegovina signed a new “status agreement” under which the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex) will gain expanded co….

Balkans

Migrants and refugees line up as they wait for a registration procedure at the port of northeastern Greek island of Lesbos, Greece, Saturday, Sept. 5, 2015. Photo: cyberstudent99 on Flickr.

Greece’s EU Membership Dominates Its Migration Policy

Posted on June 12, 2025June 10, 2025 by Matthias Barend

Greece will no longer offer large-scale legalization programs for migrants and plans to detain those awaiting deportation, according to Migration Minister Makis Voridis, who announced the stricter immigration policies set….

Analyses

Aržano border crossing between Croatia and Bosnia in 2018 (Photo: Petr Vilgus / Wikimedia Commons)

Asylum Seekers in Croatia: Friedly Past, Grim Present

Posted on March 6, 2025March 6, 2025 by Matthias Barend

Under the Dublin III regulation, 1,697 asylum seekers from other nations in the customs-free Schengen area returned to Croatia last year. According to the regulation, processing an asylum seeker’s application….

Balkans

A father and child in Dobova, Slovenia where thousands of refugees travel through on their journey to safety in Europe (Photo: Meabh Smith/Trócaire)

The ‘Non-visible’ Migration Problem in Croatia

Posted on December 13, 2024 by FactRefuge

Croatia is the first EU member state that migrants traveling the Balkan route to northwest Europe come across. The majority enter the nation through Serbia or Bosnia-Herzegovina. Since January 2023,….