(AP) Greece said Wednesday it is temporarily suspending asylum applications for migrants arriving on the island of Crete following a spike in arrivals from Libya.
More than 2,000 migrants have landed on the Mediterranean island since the weekend, according to coast guard figures, bringing the total number of arrivals this year to over 10,000.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament the government planned to build a detention site on Crete for migrants and was seeking direct collaboration between the Libya and Greek coast guards to turn back boats leaving the North African country.
“This emergency situation clearly demands emergency measures,” Mitsotakis told lawmakers.
