2015: The year of European migrant crisis

Back to: History and Background of Migration in Greece

The “European migrant crisis” is the period beginning in 2015 characterised by high numbers of people arriving in the European Union (EU) from across the Mediterranean Sea or overland through Southeast Europe. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, most of the people arriving in Europe in 2015 were refugees, fleeing war and persecution.

In 2015, migration became a regular item on the news agenda and became more and more the central topic of political discussion. The number of people seeking protection in Greece and other EU countries rose rapidly, posing new challenges for the government, aid organizations and the population.

The influx of refugees and migrants to Europe reached staggering new levels in 2015, when, according to IOM and UNHCR estimations, over 1 million people had fled across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe in order to escape war and persecution. The conflict in Syria continues to be by far the biggest driver of migration. However, the ongoing violence in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as abuses in Eritrea, is also leading people to look for new lives elsewhere.

The main route shifted from the dangerous Mediterranean crossing from Libya to Italy, to what would prove to be an even deadlier crossing from Turkey to Greek islands like Lesvos. The vast majority (0.8million) arrived by sea in Greece. Half of those crossing the Mediterranean were from Syria. Others began their journeys in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan, Iran, Nigeria, Somalia and Sudan. IOM estimated that a total of 3,692 migrants and refugees lost their lives in the Mediterranean in 2015 of whom 2,889 in the Central Mediterranean and 731 in the Aegean Sea.^{1 2}

According to Frontex, in January and February 2016, over 123,000 migrants landed in Greece. Meanwhile, on March 9th 2016, North Macedonia closed its border with Greece, where 12,000 to 13,000 migrants were stuck at Idomeni on the Greek side, while the total number of migrants throughout Greece were estimated to be more than 50,000. The entry into force of the EU–Turkey Statement on March 20th 2016, following the closing of the Western Balkan route by North Macedonia, resulted in the drop of the number of migrants arriving in Greece to 26,460, less than half the figure recorded in February. Syrians, Afghans and Iraqis continued to account for the largest share of the migrants arriving in Greece. This downward trend continued in April, when only 2,700 migrants arrived in Greece, decreasing by 90 per cent compared to the previous month.

In September 2016, Greek volunteers of the „Hellenic Rescue Team“ and human rights activist Efi Latsoudi were awarded the Nansen Refugee Award by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) „for their tireless volunteer work“ to aid refugees arriving in Greece during the 2015 refugee crisis.³

1. „Irregular Migrant, Refugee Arrivals in Europe Top One Million in 2015: IOM“. IOM. 22 December 2015
2. „A million refugees and migrants flee to Europe in 2015“. UNHCR. 22 December 2015
3. https://www.unhcr.org/news/press/2016/9/57cdec884/greek-volunteers-share-unhcr-nansen-refugee-award.html