Spike in Refugees into the EU Again Sharply Increased

In May, the Frontex European Border Service recorded almost 4,300 cases of illegal border crossing of the EU. The route through Turkey and Greece was especially popular with migrants. The spike in refugees into the European Union, after a marked decrease in April caused by the coronavirus, again sharply increased in May. Last month, the Frontex European Border Service recorded almost 4,300 cases of unauthorized crossing of EU borders on major migration routes - almost three times more than in April, newspapers from the Funke Media Group reported Sunday, July 14, citing statistics from Frontex. In April, the influx of refugees into the EU fell record-high due to the coronavirus pandemic. In general, Frontex registered 31,600 illegal border crossings between January and May - 6 percent less than the same period in 2019. The most popular route for migrants remained the path through Turkey and Greece, that is, through the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. Here, Frontex recorded in May 1250 cases of illegal crossing of the EU border - 8 times more than in April, and for the period from January to May - 12 700 cases - 28 percent less year on year. Most refugees arrived on this route from Afghanistan. Migration routes In the central part of the Mediterranean Sea - from Libya and Tunisia to Italy and Malta - about a thousand refugees entered the European Union in May - 40 percent more than in April, and between January and May - 5,500 - almost three times more year on year . Here, most of the migrants came from Bangladesh, Sudan and Cote d’Ivoire. Over 650 refugees arrived in May through the western Mediterranean Sea - that is, from Morocco to Spain - almost four times more than in April, and in the first five months of 2020, 3,700 people - more than half as much as in the same period last year. Almost every second refugee came from Algeria. Finally, over the so-called West Balkan route, more than 900 refugees arrived in the EU in May - ten times more than in April, and over the period from January to May - more than 6900, that is, 50 percent more year on year.