Bulgaria will send firefighters and equipment to Greece on the initiative of the European Commission to send 200 firefighters…

The Eastern Mediterranean immigration corridor was the third route mostly used in the first five months of 2022, according to preliminary estimates by Frontex, with a significant part of these estimates being related to the immigration flows witnessed in Cyprus.
The highest number of arrivals during the same period was recorded in the Western Balkans corridor (40,675 people, about half of the total EU arrivals), the Central Mediterranean (16,828 people), and the Eastern Mediterranean (13,668 people).
In particular, in the Eastern Mediterranean, the number of people identified increased by 116% compared to the same period last year. The number in Cyprus increased by 213% during the same period and concerns two-thirds of the crossings in the region (9,230 people). Most of the immigrants using the Eastern Mediterranean Corridor came from Nigeria, Syria, and the Congo (Kinshasa). At the same time, in May the number of illegal immigrants increased by 55%, reaching 2,226 in the region.
Western Balkans and Central Mediterranean
In the Western Balkans, the number of illegal crossings more than doubled in the first five months of 2022, compared to the same period last year.
As a result, most of these people came from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey and the majority were in the region long before they decided to go to the EU. In May, according to Frontex, the number of illegal immigrants became larger than doubled, reaching 12,088 people.
In the Central Mediterranean, immigration flows remained stable with about 16,828 illegal crossings, an increase of 15% over the same period last year. Most immigrants came from Egypt, Bangladesh, and Tunisia. The number of illegal immigrants in May was 6,066, similar to last year.
82% overall increase in the EU
Irregular arrivals at the EU’s external borders totaled 86,420 in January-May, with an 82% increase compared to the same period last year. In May, about 23,500 illegal crossings were recorded, a number showing an increase of 75% compared to the same month last year.
As is pointed out, the data does not include the number of people crossing the EU from Ukraine through legal crossing points. According to the latest Frontex figures, more than 5.5 million Ukrainians have arrived in the EU from Ukraine and Moldova since the start of the Russian invasion in February.
Meanwhile, the number of illegal immigrants at the EU’s eastern border quadrupled compared to last year reaching 2,155, with most of them being citizens of Ukraine, Iraq, and Belarus. In May, 207 people were identified, a number showing an increase of 67% compared to last year.
Finally, crossings on both sides of the English Channel, mainly to the United Kingdom, increased by 122%. As noted, these crossings usually peak between June and November. In 2022, people with more than 46 nationalities were registered, with the number of Albanian citizens increasing significantly since mid-April.
Also read: Demographics | Cyprus population increases by 9.2%
READ MORE
Repatriation of 2469 immigrants residing illegally in Cyprus for the first half of 2022
The Cyprus Police has conducted a coordinated operation for the repatriation of immigrants residing illegally in the Republic of Cyprus…
Jordan | Casualties and dozens of injured people due to toxic gas leak
Thirteen people have been killed and 251 injured in a toxic gas leak from a storage tank in Jordan’s Aqaba port, with authorities urging…
Russia | Consular authorities of Greece reissue visas to Russian citizens
The Consulate General of Greece in Moscow has started to reissue visas to Russian citizens wishing to visit Greece.
Naval Group | New contracts and cooperation agreements with Greek companies
Naval Group gathered its Greek industrial partners on June 30, 2022, in the presence of the French Ambassador to Greece, His Excellency…
Hellenic Parliament | Five new armament programs were approved yesterday by a majority
The green light for the implementation of five new armament programs was given yesterday by the Special Standing Committee on Armament…
Mistral ATAM | MBDA’s remarkable air-to-air Mistral missile system variant
Mistral ATAM (air-to-air missile) is based on the VSHORAD Mistral air defence missile system and is the helicopter-launched variant.
Ukrainian War | Ukraine’s reconstruction at the heart of a two-day international conference in Lugano, Switzerland
Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky, is expected to highlight today the enormous reconstruction task ahead of his country after…
HNDGS | 8th “Drafting, Production and Maintenance of NATO Standards and Doctrines” training at KENAP/NMIOTC
From Wednesday, June 27 to Friday, July 01, 2022, the 8th “Drafting, Production and Maintenance of NATO Standards and Doctrines” training…