Brussels, 13/05/2016 (Agence Europe) - The number of migrants arriving on the Greek islands in April plummeted by 90% compared with March, the Frontex Agency reported on Friday 13 May.
In April, the number of migrants arriving was 2,700. This drop, Frontex says, may be explained, in part, by the agreement concluded between the European Union and Turkey on 18 March and the stricter border policies applied by the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) at its border with Greece. Syrians continue to form the largest contingent of migrants arriving in Greece, followed by Pakistani, Afghan and Iraqi nationals.
The fall in arrivals recorded on the Aegean islands contrasts with developments observed in the Central Mediterranean and Italy, where, for the first time since June 2015, the number of migrants reaching its coasts exceeded the totals for Greece. Frontex says that 8,370 people arrived in Italy in April, a drop, nonetheless, of 13% on March and almost 50% lower than in April 2015.
In Italy, Eritrean, Egyptian and Nigerian nationals made up the largest share of migrants, Frontex says in its press release, however, that there are no new signs of a significant shift of migrants from the Eastern Mediterranean route, that is to say, taking the Italian route rather than crossing the Aegean Sea or taking the Western Balkans route. The number of migrants at the EU's external borders in this region fell by a quarter in April compared to March to 3,830. It was also slightly more than half the figure recorded in April 2015.
Frontex points out that its figures may be skewed as it is possible that some people may have tried to cross the border several times in different locations and been included each time in the statistics. (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)