The arrival of migrants dropped 91 percent in May compared with the same month last year, according to data released by the Migration Policy Ministry on Thursday.
In May, 6,264 first-degree asylum decisions were issued and 2,030 appeals were examined. There are still 99,936 asylum applications pending, down from 105,501 in April and 126,181 in January 2020.
Greece’s four islands that receive heavy migrant traffic, saw no arrivals last month; being Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos.
Regarding the transfers of asylum-seekers to the mainland, the ministry said that 13,728 were moved since the start of the year, while the number of residents in all the reception and identification centres on the islands has decreased by 16.1 pct. The total number of camp residents on the islands has fallen by 14.17 pct.
The EU-Turkey Statement on the readmission of migrants without a residence permit has been temporarily suspended “for reasons of public health,” the ministry said.
Read More: Thousands of refugees to be evicted from state facilities in Greece on Monday
The Migration Ministry confirmed last Friday that a total of 11,237 refugees will be moved out of state facilities and hotels.
It remained unclear, however, how many of the total are refugees who secured asylum and how many had their applications rejected and therefore, face deportation.
