European Asylum Support Office

Ljubljana – Slovenia’s EU presidency will try to achieve progress in negotiations on legislation under the framework of the asylum and migrations pact. Strengthening the Schengen zone and security are also high on the list of priorities.

Alternate Minister for Migration Policy Giorgos Koumoutsakos and the executive director of the European Asylum Support Office (EASO), Nina Gregori, on Tuesday signed an agreement paving the way for the agency to acquire a branch in Greece as part of its efforts to bolster support for the country as it struggles to manage rising numbers of refugees and migrants.

Greece's new Ministry for Migration and Asylum is expected to focus on speeding up deportations and returns amid fears of an expected surge in migrant arrivals from neighboring Turkey as winter starts giving way to spring.

The European Asylum Support Office (EASO) will boost its operational deployments this year, with up to 550 personnel deployed in Greece, 150 in Italy, 120 in Cyprus and 60 in Malta, the agency said in a press release Tuesday.

58,000 asylum applications in the EU have been filed since the beginning of this year, the European Asylum Support Office said. Half are denied. Although migratory pressure on the EU is declining, asylum applications are increasing. Malta is one of the first to welcome migrant boats.

At least 154 people, who attempted to escape to Greece and Bulgaria, have been intercepted in Turkey's border province of Edirne over the past two years, media said.

Hurriyet said Aug 14 that Turkish military have, so far, rounded up 154 people for trying to flee Turkey to neighboring two countries through Edirne province.

Reference is made to an article published by Kathimerini on 16 June 2018, entitled "EASO probe hampers asylum procedures." The article makes various inaccurate and misleading assertions that the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) would like to correct.

The ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct at the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) could impact the processing of thousands of asylum claims in Greece.

The European Union's anti-fraud agency OLAF is investigating allegations of misconduct in procurement procedures, irregularities in management of human resources and possible breaches of data protection at EASO.

Police on Wednesday carried out a sweep of Samos to round up dozens of migrants whose applications for asylum have been rejected for deportation to Turkey, but officers struggled to locate them all.

Greek PM Alexis Tsipras raised the matter of Turkey’s increasing aggression in the Aegean Sea at the EU Summit meeting in Brussels. During his speech to the EU26 leaders Mr. Tsipras said the Greece aimed to continue defending its sovereignty while maintaining an open channel of communication with Turkey.