ATHENS, Greece (AP) – Authorities in Greece have suspended deportations to Turkey and acknowledged that most migrants and refugees detained on Greek islands have applied for asylum.
The European Union began sending back migrants Monday under an agreement with Turkey, but no transfers were planned Tuesday.
Maria Stavropoulou, director of Greece’s Asylum Service, told state TV that some 3,000 people held in deportation camps on the islands are seeking asylum, with the application process to formally start by the end of the week.
She says asylum applications typically take about three months to process, but would be “considerably faster” for those held in detention.