Greece’s government is highlighting positive trends in migration management for the first half of 2026, with official figures showing a 20% increase in total returns of irregular migrants and a 27% decrease in sea arrivals compared to the same period in 2025. However, there are caveats, including a sharp rise in arrivals from Bangladesh and uneven enforcement patterns.
According to data cited by government sources and reported by Proto Thema, total returns reached 2,638 in the first six months of 2026, up from 2,207 the previous year. Forced returns saw an even steeper 41% rise (from 915 to 1,292), while voluntary returns through the International Organization for Migration increased 18% (from 740 to 870). Sea arrivals dropped from 16,985 to 12,496.
Nationality breakdowns reveal targeted progress in some areas. Egyptian arrivals plummeted 72% (from around 2,800 to 800), with returns nearly quadrupling. For Pakistanis, arrivals and returns have nearly equalized, with 180 arrivals recorded compared to 169 returns.
The government attributes these shifts to stronger cooperation with countries of origin and stricter return policies, including the “prison or return” approach that has encouraged 599 voluntary departures since February to avoid jail time.
Infrastructure efforts on Crete, a key pressure point via the Libyan route, include a new reception facility in Agia, Chania, now operational, and another in Heraklion expected soon. Recent diplomatic engagement with Libya is credited with helping reduce flows in the past few weeks.
Broader plans involve EU-backed “return hubs” in African countries, with technical talks advancing in Copenhagen.
However, the overall picture is less rosy in Crete, with arrivals to Greece’s largest island rising 20% year-over-year, with Bangladeshi nationals surging 312% in the first five months of 2026. Additionally, June alone saw 4,278 arrivals, offsetting some of the half-year gains.
Eurostat data cited in related commentary highlights that a large share of Greece’s returns (over 63% in a 15-month period) involve Albanians and Georgians, who may be easier to repatriate due to proximity and agreements. In absolute terms, Cyprus recorded more returns (12,590 vs. Greece’s 6,375) despite its significantly smaller size.
Migration Minister Thanos Plevris maintains that the new framework—emphasizing faster screening, exclusion of NGOs from legal aid in favor of bar association lawyers, and linking asylum decisions directly to returns—represents a shift toward sustainable control rather than mere management. Implementation of the EU Migration and Asylum Pact is seen as key to future progress.
As migration routes adapt quickly, the coming months will test whether the first-half improvements in returns and select nationality controls can be sustained, particularly amid ongoing pressures from groups like Bangladeshis and challenges in scaling returns for harder-to-repatriate nationalities.
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