Greece says many migrants in Turkey could seek asylum there

Greece has designated neighboring Turkey as a safe country in which to seek asylum for the vast majority of asylum-seekers departing its shores for Greece

ATHENS, Greece -- Greece on Monday designated neighboring Turkey as a safe country in which to seek international protection for the majority of asylum-seekers departing its shores for Greece. A joint decree from the Greek foreign and migration ministries said the designation applies to asylum-seekers from Syria, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Somalia. It said Turkey meets all criteria to examine asylum requests from these nationals, as there "they are not in any danger ... due to their race, religion, citizenship, political beliefs or membership in some particular social group, and can seek asylum in Turkey instead of in Greece.” That, in theory, could reduce migration flows to European Union member Greece, as it would allow it to return asylum-seekers from these countries to Turkey — which itself has a huge migrant and refugee population. Nevertheless, despite pressure from the EU and Athens, Ankara has shown little appetite for taking back migrants who reached Greece from its territory, despite a 2016 Turkish-EU agreement that was meant to stem illegal migration into the 27-nation bloc.