Greece's parliament has approved a three-month suspension of asylum claims for migrants arriving from Libya despite strong criticism from the United Nations refugee agency and Europe's top human rights official.

His son, Belkacem Haftar – head of the Organization for Reconstruction and Development and the official who met with Greek Foreign Minister G. Gerapetritis last Sunday – invited the Greek Consul General in Benghazi, A. Kalognomis, to his home on Wednesday evening to discuss bilateral cooperation planning.

Authorities in Greece say more than 1,200 migrants have been detained on the island of Crete and the nearby islet of Gavdos over the past three days, following a surge in arrivals from Libya.

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.

In a significant shift in migration policy, Greece is implementing stringent new measures to deter irregular flows, particularly from Libya.

Authorities in eastern Libya have refused entry to three European ministers and the EU commissioner for migration on alleged entry violations.

Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the strongman of eastern Libya, received Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis on Monday during an official visit marked by high-stakes political and economic talks.