Greece has temporarily suspended the return of migrants to Turkey under the EU-Turkey agreement due to a surge in the number of asylum applications. Most of the 6750 migrants on the Greek islands are applying for asylum and there is shortage of qualified officials such as translators to process the applications. Greek deputy foreign minister for European affairs Nikos Xydakis estimated that it will take at least two weeks to fix the process of deporting migrants to Turkey. Most of the experts promised by the EU to assist in the implementation of the agreement have not arrived yet, daily Kathimerini informs. According to the agreement reached between the EU and Turkey at a summit in March, all migrants who have illegally entered Greece since March 20 will be returned to Turkey if they do not apply for asylum or if their claim is rejected. For each Syrian migrant returned to Turkey, another Syrian will be resettled from Turkey to the EU. In exchange for accepting the deal, the EU promised to double the initially foreseen humanitarian aid to Turkey from EUR 3 B to EUR 6 B, to lift visas for Turkish citizens traveling to the Schengen Area by the end of June and accelerate Turkey's accession negotiations. Meanwhile, Greek authorities dismissed rumours that they are planning to build a second centre for the accommodation of refugees, so-called hotspot, in the region of Drama near the border with Bulgaria. Athens made the assurance in a telephone conversation between Bulgarian Interior Minister Rumyana Bachvarova and Alternate Minister of Public Order and Citizen Protection Nikolaos Toskas on Saturday. Bachvarova and Toskas discussed the latest developments surrounding the illegal migrants in Greece, the interior ministry informs. Toskas assured that Greece does not consider opening a centre for accommodation of immigrants, so-called hotspot, near the border with Bulgaria.
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