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.

Greece on Thursday unveiled a series of tougher measures aimed at curbing the arrival of migrants, following an earlier announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

A leading humanitarian group criticised Greece on Thursday after its government announced it would pause for three months all asylum hearings for people arriving in boats from North Africa, to deter a migration surge from Libya.

Greek lawmakers are set to vote on new legislation temporarily halting asylum applications from North Africa amid a surge in migrants. Human rights groups have condemned the move as illegal. The measure comes as Greece seeks to control migration,

Greece, one of the main gateways into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, has taken an increasingly tough stance on migration since Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' centre-right party came to power in 2019, building a fence at its northern land borders and boosting sea patrols in the east.