Synthesis Report of Mixed Migration Trends: Turkey February 2017

The number of people arriving by sea to Europe sizeably fell in 2016, with only 362,376 recorded arrivals compared to 1,014,973 in 2015 (UNHCR, 2016). Numbers migrating along the Eastern Mediterranean route have also substantially decreased. In 2016, only 173,450 people – compared to 856,723 last year – crossed over by sea from Turkey to Greece. In fact, 87% of those arrivals occurred during the first three months of the year, before the signing of the EU-Turkey Statement. In addition, the Turkish Coast Guards reported a decrease in the number of interceptions (833 compared to 2,430 last year) and apprehensions (down by 60%) in 2016. Despite the reduction in arrivals, total figures for 2016 remain 3 times higher than yearly average arrivals between 2008-2014. According to IOM, as of February 8, 2017 approximately 74,909 refugees and migrants are stranded at the borders of Greece and the Western Balkans. In fact, this buildup has been gradually increasing as border controls across Europe have tightened even further. Since the March 2016, those stranded at the Greek and Bulgarian borders have increased by 47% and 443% respectively.