They
will be supported by 3 border force boats – VOS Grace which is
already in the Aegean; the cutter Protector which is on its way to the
region and a further Border Force cutter that is expected to start operations
later this month.
With migrant arrivals in Greece still averaging 1,800 a day in February
and over 116,000 arrivals across the Aegean already this year, European
countries are stepping up their efforts with Turkey to break the business
model of the people smuggling criminal gangs which are exploiting people
and putting lives at risk every day.
At an EU summit in Brussels today, the Prime Minister will call on European
partners to focus on 3 priorities:
Breaking the link between getting on a boat and getting resettlement
in Europe by smashing the trafficking gangs and increasing the return
of illegal migrants
Supporting Turkey, already hosting 2.6 million migrants and with many
more sheltering on its border with Syria
Providing technical assistance to Greece so it can accelerate the processing
of migrant claims and return illegal migrants to their countries of
origin |
