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"After a temporary respite in the number of irregular immigrants seeking to make their way into Europe through Greece’s land and sea border with Turkey, recent data show a dramatic shift in migration patterns. Figures show a clear growth trend. In the first seven months of the year, Greek authorities arrested 15,104 undocumented migrants trying to enter the country via Turkey, marking a 143.6 percent increase over the previous year. The situation is exacerbated by thousands of Syrian refugees trying to escape the violence in the Middle East, making their way from Turkey to Greece. “If they decide to flee the refugee camps set up in [Syria’s] neighboring countries, the situation will get worse,” Panagiotis Nikas, director of a first-reception service told Kathimerini. “At the same time, we are holding our breath over the situation in Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq and other countries,” he said. (...) Last year, Greece spent more than 63 million euros to prevent illegal immigration into its porous border. Only 2.6 million came from Europe’s border control agency Frontex. Adding to the country’s woes, according to the Dublin Regulation undocumented migrants found anywhere in the EU must be returned to their country of entry, often Greece. Cash-strapped Greece has called for greater burden sharing among the nations of the 28-member bloc. “Right now, Greece and Italy have to shoulder a disproportionate burden despite of the fact that our borders are also Europe’s borders and despite the fact that most migrants do not wish to settle in Greece but to move further north,” Nikas said. Officials in Athens hope that if Dimitris Avramopoulos, slated to become Greece’s next Commissioner, were to take over the immigration portfolio in the next European Commission, Greece will be able to push for greater EU involvement in the problem." http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_1_02/08/2014_541909