The number of irregular entries into the European Union increased in 2022 by 64% compared to the previous year, reaching the highest level since 2016, announced this Friday January 13 the European Border Surveillance Agency, Frontex.
According to the agency, 330,000 irregular entries were recorded in 2022, 45% of them on the Western Balkan route.
The number of affected Syrian nationals nearly doubled to 94,000.
Mostly Syrians, Afghans and Tunisians
“This is the second consecutive year with a sharp increase in the number of irregular entries”Frontex said in a statement, adding that the Syrians, Afghans and Tunisians together represented 47% of irregular entries in 2022. On the Western Balkan route 145,600 crossings were recorded, an increase of 136% compared to the previous year.
The Central Mediterranean route, the second busiest, saw the number of crossings exceed 100,000, an increase of more than 50%. Around 10% of irregular entries were made by women and around 9% by minors.
