Balkans | Illegal entries into the EU increased in the first three months

Frontex, the European Union (EU) border protection agency, based in Warsaw, the capital of Poland, reported that in the first quarter of the year, illegal entry into EU countries increased by 26 percent compared to the same period last year. year and rose to 54 thousand.

In the Frontex statement, it was recalled that the number of those who entered the border illegally rose to 330,000 in 2022, which is the highest level since 2016.

In the first three months of this year, the Central Mediterranean was the most used route for entries. 27 thousand 651 people entered the European Union countries through this route. This was recorded as an increase of 305 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. Citizens of Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Pakistan were the ones crossing the Central Mediterranean route illegally.

The number of arrivals from the Western Balkans, the second route, decreased by 22 percent to 14,858. This route was used mostly by Syrians and Afghans.

The number of arrivals from the eastern Mediterranean, in third place, decreased by 8 percent and became 6 thousand 11. The Syrians, Palestinians and Afghans used the eastern Mediterranean route more than others.

Frontex indicated that illegal entry to European Union countries increased by 26 percent in the first quarter of the year compared to the same period in the previous year, and rose to 54 thousand.