Illegal entries detected on the four main migratory routes into Europe in January-July 2019 totalled 54,300, a 30% drop compared to the corresponding period of 2018, according to data released on Tuesday by the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex.
There were much fewer people coming in through the Mediterranean, unlike the Balkans route.
The Eastern Mediterranean route was the least frequented, with 28,210 passengers during the seven months, representing a drop of 6% compared to January-June 2018. However, the migratory flow to the Greek islands of the Aegean Sea increased by a quarter over the corresponding period of 2018, with most of the migrants coming from Afghanistan.
The most spectacular drop was in the Western Mediterranean, where 12,976 migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa, were recorded. This was 41% less than in January-July 2018.
In the Central Mediterranean, the drop was a bit less than 25%. Some 4,890 migrants, mainly from Tunisia, Sudan and Pakistan, passed through the area.
On the other hand, some 5,800 people passed through the Western Balkans in the period under review, double the number recorded last year.
The Brussels Times
