Within almost five years of the migration crisis, the European Union has not resolved any of the long list of problems at its borders.

Athens, however, on their own are trying to do everything so that migrants do not set foot on Greek soil. Greeks are afraid that newcomers will be stuck in their country after the borders are closed by the Balkan countries. In addition to sending security services to borders, the Greek government decided to suspend asylum applications for a month, which humanitarian organizations criticize. The European Commission is also looking into the matter, because such a temporary suspension may be incompatible with EU law.

The tense situation in Greece is a consequence of the termination by the Turkish President Recep Erdoğan of the agreement concluded between Ankara and Brussels in March 2016. During its duration, the influx of arrivals from the Turkish coast to the EU decreased dramatically. In 2017, the border between Turkey and Greece was illegally crossed by over 42,000 people. In 2018, Frontex recorded 57,000 to pass, while in January this year 3.4 thousand crossed the border illegally people. However, these numbers can now start to increase significantly. Anadolu Turkish news agency said 136 thousand people are reaching the Greek borders.

Migration and border protection were to be one of the priorities in the next budget perspective. In the original proposal, the European Commission allocated three times more money for this purpose than it does today. Adding cash was to be associated with the expansion of Frontex, which was to gain 10 thousand. own officers (currently the agency has only border guards sent by member countries). But subsequent budget proposals cut money on migration and border protection, and the last, which was on the negotiating table, with EUR 31 billion remaining from 31 billion.

The reform of asylum law, which currently imposes large obligations on the refugee’s first country of residence, is also pending. The European Commission has proposed a change, but no agreement can be reached between member states. The issue of receiving refugees is also open. The EU in its agreement with Ankara committed to accepting refugees from Turkey on a large scale, but so far only 25,000 have been resettled. people. There is no consent for forced relocation within the EU, and the proposed coalition of countries receiving migrants has so far been operating without spectacular results.