Regional Daily Report Bureau May 6, 2016 3:24 PM Europe Contact us: [email protected] Daily Report 06 Arrivals and Departures According to the latest fact sheet issued by the European A total of 1,694 third-country nationals were deported or Commission regarding the implementation of the EU-Turkey returned to their countries of origin from Greece in April, agreement, since its entry into force, 386 people were returned under operational planning to combat irregular migration, from the Greek islands to Turkey and 135 Syrian refugees Greek Police announced on Thursday. The greatest number of were resettled from Turkey to Europe. Additionally, as stated returns were to Albania (852), Pakistan (157), Morocco (107), through the EC communication, the Turkish government has Iran (61), Georgia (51), Afghanistan (45) and Bangladesh (29). committed to allow access to EU representatives to refugee A total of 6,427 third-country nationals have been returned to camps and centres in Turkey. A programme for visits is their country of origin since the beginning of the year, Greek currently being prepared by the EU Delegation in Ankara. Police said. Condition of People According to media sources, during a meeting on migration issues held in Thessaloniki on 5 May, the Greek Alternate Around 4,500 asylum applications were lodged in Austria Minister for Migration Policy, Yannis Mouzalas, estimated in April 2016 according to the Austrian Ministry of Interior. that 30,000-40,000 refugees will remain in Greece for a This constitutes a slight increase compared to March (3.265) lengthy period of time. He added that the site in Eidomeni, but a decrease compared to January (5,950) and February at the border crossing with the former Yugoslav Republic of (5,110). Between 18-24 April, 1,562 people lodged asylum Macedonia, will be evacuated by 30 May. applications in Hungary. On 4 May, the European Commission proposed to allow Last week, temporary border controls at the Hungarian- those EU Member States currently carrying out internal Austrian border were introduced. The Ministry of Interior also border controls related to migration, namely Germany, presented details for future border controls and a border Austria, Sweden, Denmark and the associated country management system at the Austrian-Italian crossing where Norway, to continue doing so for a period of up to six months refugees and migrants would be channelled through. to adequately address the persistent risk of secondary movements of irregular migrants coming from the Greece. Key Figures Past and Upcoming Meetings and Events 23 April 123 Donald Tusk to visit Gaziantep, Arrivals to Greek Islands Turkey with Angela Merkel and Yesterday Frans Timmermans 28 April Germany and Turkey: Relationship at a Crossroads 37 (debate), SETA Ankara, Turkey Departures to Greece Mainland Yesterday Today 6 May 2016 10 May The Economic Impact of Syrian 0 Refugees in Lebanon, The Departures to Turkey Graduate Institute, Geneva on 6 May 2016 12-13 May Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels 23 May 0 0 Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels 26-27 May Greece Turkey Greece Turkey G7 Summit, Ise-Shima, Japan 1 Regional Daily Report Bureau May 6, 2016 3:25 PM Europe Contact us: [email protected] Critical Developments On 4 May, The European Commission proposed to the European Parliament and Council of the European Union to lift the visa requirements for the citizens of Turkey, under the understanding that the Turkish authorities will fulfil (as committed to on 18 March 2016) the outstanding benchmarks of its Visa Liberalisation Roadmap. Average Daily Arrivals and Arrival Trends Greece 97 77 Average Daily Arrivals Average Daily Arrivals 2-5 May As of 5 May 2,700 -14% from previous week -32% from previous month 2,500 2,400 2,400 1,800 2,000 1,600 1,600 1,200 1,400 1,100 600 300 374 94 79 113 53 97 28 Dec -3 Jan4-10 Jan 11-17 Jan 18-24 Jan 25-31 Jan 1-7 Feb 8-14 Feb 15-21 Feb 22-28 Fe29b Feb -6 Ma7r - 13 Mar14 - 20 Mar21 -27 Ma28r Mar - 3 Ap4r - 10 Apr 11-17 April18 - 24 Ap25r Apr 1 May2-5 May 08 06 07 05 Estimated Arrivals and People Present* per Country 04 Yesterday Arrivals Present* 01 Turkey 02 Greek Islands 123 8,241 03 Greece Mainland 37 45,660 03 fYRoM** 0 818 04 Serbia 58 900 02 01 05 Croatia 0 92 06 Hungary 68 07 Slovenia 0 42 08 Austria 128 * Number of people present in Greece and estimated number of people currently present in countries along the previous route not applying for asylum ** The former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (please note that the fYRoM abbreviation is used for design purposes) 2 Regional Daily Report Bureau May 6, 2016 3:25 PM Europe Contact us: [email protected] Greek Islands and Turkey: Estimated Arrivals and Transfers Arrivals Departures Departures A to Greece to Turkey Mainland (Boat) 01 01 Turkey 02 Greece 123 37 B 02 Breakdown A Lesvos 21 C B Chios 113 10 C Samos 10 3 D D Leros 1 E E Kos 2 Other Arrivals to Greek Islands 26 April - 5 May Lesvos Chios Samos Kos arrivals arrivals arrivals arrivals Population Overview Arrived, present and transferred to Greece Mainland and returned to Turkey since 20 March Returns to Turkey (EU-Turkey Agreement) Arrivals to Greece Islands post 20 March Total 7,699 Total 386 Present on Greek Islands Total 7,969 Pre 20 March Arrivals Departures to Mainland post 20 March* Total 6,623 Pre 20 March Present on Mainland Present in Greece Mainland Total 45,890 0 5 K 10 K 15 K 20 K 25 K 30 K 35 K 40 K 45 K 50 K *People able to depart are those only who arrived before 20 March Total in Greece: 53,859 Reporting period 20 March - 27 April 3 Regional Daily Report Bureau May 6, 2016 3:25 PM Europe Contact us: [email protected] Timeline Overview 18-19 April 20 April 20-21 April 21 April 23 April Foreign Affairs Council, Securing the external borders of Secretary General of NATO, Jens Justice and Home Affairs Council, Donald Tusk to visit Gaziantep, Luxembourg the EU – a challenge for external Stoltenberg to visit Greece and Luxembourg Interior ministers Turkey with Angela Merkel and and internal security Turkey sign off on EU coast guard Frans Timmermans 28 April 10 May 12-13 May 23 May 26-27 May Germany and Turkey: The Economic Impact of Syrian Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels Foreign Affairs Council, Brussels G7 Summit, Ise-Shima, Japan Relationship at a Crossroads Refugees in Lebanon, The (debate), SETA Ankara, Turkey Graduate Institute, Geneva Media and Social Media General Media Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) issued a press release on port of Mytilene where they were assisted by Frontex officials 5 May informing the public of their decision to withdraw and Greek coastguards. Video footage of the rescue can be from World Humanitarian Summit which is set to take place found here (Facebook). in Istanbul Turkey on 23-24 May. Their justification for withdrawing, among others, is mainly due to the fact that Middle East Eye tweeted a link to an article which reports that they “no longer have any hope that the WHS will address the a riot broke out in an isolated informal crossing point on the weaknesses in humanitarian action and emergency response, Jordan-Syria border. A crowd of people reportedly became particularly in conflict areas or epidemic situations”. ‘uncontrollable’ as they queued to register with UNHCR on Wednesday 4 May. Social Media Current Statistics for #Aleppoisburning AYS Daily News Digest reported that due to the dire situations at Eidomeni camp, there have been fresh waves of hunger • 83 tweets, 59 retweets per hour strikes by refugees with some of them sewing their mouths • Over 75,200 impressions per hour shut. According to the digest, activists in Aleppo dyed the • 21% of posts using #Aleppoisburning originated from the Martyrs River red in solidarity with the current situation Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. in Syria. A three-day strike was announced in Athens from • Other geographic distribution: Denmark, US, Ukraine, Friday to Sunday 8 May, however, buses are operating up to Germany, Egypt, UK, and Morocco Polykastro as normal. 28 April – 05 May - Daily average activity for Twitter Activity #Aleppoisburning Frontex tweeted on the subject of the rescue of 53 refugees and migrants from an overcrowded rubber dinghy by the Portuguese Maritime Police off the Greek island of Lesvos 11,262 on 3 May. According to the report, on-board the dinghy, Average no. of tweets per day among some adults, were many children and infants and in total, 53 people were rescued that day, including 20 babies 33,250 (one of whom was a new-born), 15 women (one of whom had Average no. of retweets per day reduced mobility), and 18 men. The group arrived safely to the 484,187 Average no. of impressions per day 4 Regional Daily Report Bureau May 6, 2016 3:25 PM Europe Contact us: [email protected] Annex 1 Key Figures from the Portal Refugees/Migrants Emergency Response - Greece http://data.unhcr.org/mediterranean 6 May 2016 Last updated 4 May 2016 Increasing numbers of refugees and migrants take their chances aboard unseaworthy boats and dinghies in a desperate bid to reach Europe. The vast majority of those attempting this dangerous 155,177 arrivals by sea in 2016 crossing are in need of international protection, fleeing war, violence and persecution in their arrivals by sea in 2015 country of origin. Every year these movements continue to exact a devastating toll on human life.