France to push forward with the acceptance of 750 Greek asylum seekers after initial move was held back due to Coronavirus pandemic

France to push forward with the acceptance of 750 Greek asylum seekers after initial move was held back due to Coronavirus pandemic.

FRANCE is to welcome 750 asylum seekers from Greece following an agreement made in January this year with French Minister of State for the Interior Laurent Nunez.

Greece’s Alternate Minister of Migration and Asylum Giorgos Koumoutsakos announced the decision on Monday in Athens following a meeting with French Ambassador to Greece Patrick Maisonnave.

Among the 750 people to be relocated are 350 unaccompanied minors, of which the first group is scheduled to depart Greece in July. The relocation had originally been scheduled for earlier in the year but due to the coronavirus outbreak, all asylum application processing was temporarily halted. This will resume as soon as possible, Koumoutsakos and Maisonnave said on Wednesday.

The French ambassador also confirmed his country’s intention to increase its participation in Frontex EU border force missions to Greece. Both officials also emphasised the significance of collaborating on flights with France to return those whose asylum applications are rejected to their home countries in Africa.