Plevris: Greece will be the first EU country with the stricter framework for illegal entry

"We will be the first European country to have the stricter framework for illegal entry. Anyone not entitled to asylum will face either detention or return," stated Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris in Parliament on Friday. He referred to a set of measures aimed at addressing the increased migration flows.
Plevris was responding to two questions: one from Dimitris Natsios, leader of the Niki party, and another from Alexandros Kazamias, parliamentary representative of Plefsi Eleftherias.
The recent amendment to temporarily suspend asylum applications came under heavy criticism. Plevris defended the measure, however, stating that it is already producing results, as migration flows to Crete have decreased.
While he acknowledged that bad weather conditions have played a role in this decrease, Plevris stressed that both the adoption of the amendment and the upcoming legislation have sent a clear message: "Anyone entering the country without the right to do so will either be returned voluntarily or imprisoned. Since last Wednesday - the day the amendment was passed - there has been no entry into Crete. None at all. This may be due to various factors: the weather, our diplomatic efforts, and, of course, the amendment itself," the minister noted.