The Eastern Mediterranean migration corridor was the third most active in the first five months of 2022, according to preliminary estimates by Frontex, with a significant portion of the migration movement affecting Cyprus.
The highest number of arrivals during the same period was recorded in the Western Balkans corridor (40,675 people, about half of the total EU), the Central Mediterranean (16,828 people) and the Eastern Mediterranean (13,668 people).
In particular, in the Eastern Mediterranean the number of people identified increased by 116% compared to the same period last year.
The number in Cyprus increased by 213% during the same period, and accounts for two-thirds of crossings in the region (9,230 people).
Most migrants in the Eastern Mediterranean Corridor came from Nigeria, Syria and the Congo (Kinshasa).
At the same time, in May the number of illegal immigrants increased by 55%, reaching 2,226 in the region.
Western Balkans and Central Mediterranean
In the Western Balkans, the number of illegal crossings more than doubled in the first five months of 2022, compared to the same period last year.
As a result, most of these people came from Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey, and the majority were in the region long before they decided to go to the EU. 12.088.
In the Central Mediterranean, activity remained stable with about 16,828 illegal crossings, an increase of 15% over the same period last year. Most came from Egypt, Bangladesh and Tunisia. The number of illegal immigrants in May was 6,066, similar to last year.
82% increase overall in the EU
Irregular arrivals at the EU's external borders totaled 86,420 in January & # 8211; May, an increase of 82% over the same period last year.
About 23,500 illegal crossings were recorded in May, a 75% increase over the same month last year.
As it is pointed out, the data does not record the number of people crossing the EU from Ukraine through legal crossing points. According to the latest Frontex figures, more than 5.5 million Ukrainians have arrived in the EU from Ukraine and Moldova since the invasion began in February. Meanwhile, the number of illegal crossings at the EU's eastern border quadrupled from last year to 2,155, with most of them citizens of Ukraine, Iraq and Belarus. 207 people were identified in May, an increase of 67% over last year.
Finally, crossings on both sides of the English Channel, mainly to the United Kingdom, increased by 122%. As noted, these crossings usually peak between June and November. In 2022, people from more than 46 nationalities were registered, with the citizens of Albania recording a large increase since mid-April.
Source: KYPE
