The government has expressed its intention to create a closed facility for illegal migrants arriving in Crete, according to discussions with representatives of local authorities during a meeting held at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum, led by Minister Thanos Plevris.

Participants in the meeting included:

• Minister for Climate Crisis and Civil Protection and MP for Rethymno, Giannis Kefalogiannis
• Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum and MP for Chania, Sevi Voloudaki
• Regional Governor of Crete, Stavros Arnaoutakis
• President of the Regional Union of Municipalities of Crete and Mayor of Rethymno, Giorgis Marinakis

The government clarified that the new facility will be closed, but migrants will not remain there for long periods. Instead, their identification will take place, and they will then be transferred to the mainland.

No exact location was officially announced during the meeting, but according to sources, the former military camp Zografakis in Kastelli, Heraklion remains the most likely site.

Amendment Passed in Parliament

Earlier, Parliament passed an amendment from the Ministry of Migration with broad support, suspending for three months the ability to submit asylum applications for migrants arriving from Libya and North Africa.

293 MPs voted in total:

• 177 voted in favor (from New Democracy, Greek Solution, and several independents)
• PASOK and NIKI voted “present”
• SYRIZA, KKE, Course of Freedom, and New Left voted against

Key points of the amendment:

• Suspension of asylum application rights for those entering illegally by sea from North Africa
• Such individuals will be returned without registration to their country of origin
• The suspension takes effect immediately for 3 months
• The time period may be shortened by Cabinet decree

See the detailed PDF showing how MPs voted on the immigration amendment.

Plevris: “The Fairytale About Women with Babies Is Over”

The vote was preceded by heated debate between the government and opposition.

Migration Minister Thanos Plevris emphasized the government’s determination to stop illegal migrant flows from Libya and the North African coast, while sharply criticizing opposition parties for not supporting the asylum suspension amendment.

“Just yesterday, out of 507 people who entered the country illegally, 495 were men and only 16 women. The fairytale about women with babies is over. We have borders, we have a territory, and we will protect it,” said Plevris.

He also accused PASOK of hypocrisy, noting that although its MPs claim the amendment is unconstitutional, they were planning to vote “present.”

“In 2024, about 4,000 migrants arrived from the North African coast. In just the first seven months of 2025, the number has doubled. Lately, we are seeing over 1,000 arrivals per day,” he added, highlighting the “invasion-like” scale of the issue.
Addressing KKE, SYRIZA, New Left, and Course of Freedom, he said:
“The entire Left says anyone who arrives should be registered and granted asylum. But there are 3 million people waiting on the Libyan coast — do you realize what you’re asking for?”

Criticism Toward SYRIZA, KKE, and PASOK

Responding to SYRIZA, which opposed the Ministry’s plans to review migrant benefits, Plevris said:

“Don’t worry, SYRIZA, we’re not going to build another Moria. That was your legacy. In 2019, you left us with 229,000 pending asylum applications. Today, there are only 29,000.”

As for PASOK’s proposal to maintain the current system but with faster processing times for asylum and deportation, he argued:

“Your proposal effectively allows migrants to move freely within Greece for at least six months. You suggest simple registration, asylum application, and free movement. We say: suspend asylum application and enable immediate returns. Of course, repatriation is not easy — but we will not send the message that ‘you can come to Crete, stay in a facility, apply for asylum, and then travel around Greece.’”

Plevris to KKE: “You’re Quoting the Geneva Convention?”

Plevris was surprised by KKE’s reference to the Geneva Convention, saying:

“It’s ironic that KKE references the Geneva Convention, which was created to protect people fleeing from the Soviet Union. It’s surprising that you, of all people, invoke it.”