Three million more migrants to come: Warning over new influx as 76,000 cross Med in past six weeks 

  • Think tank MigrationWatch said 1.8million illegal border crossings in 2015
  • Claimed that EU's asylum system is 'unable to cope' with influx of migrants
  • 362,000  - 28 per cent - of those claiming asylum in Europe were from Syria 
  • Russian airstrikes have forced tens of thousands to flee to Turkey border
  • Fears of protests unless Greece scraps plans for migrant registration camp

By Ian Drury and Jack Doyle for the Daily Mail

Published: | Updated:

Up to three million asylum seekers will arrive in Europe in the next two years, a report reveals.

Research by the think tank MigrationWatch says the EU's asylum system is 'unable to cope' after 1.27million people, many fleeing humanitarian disasters in Africa and the Middle East, sought refuge last year – an increase of 95 per cent.

It adds: 'The EU border agency, Frontex, recorded 1.8 million illegal border crossings in 2015. Meanwhile, the EU Commission estimate that around three million irregular migrants will enter the EU between now and 2017.'

Scroll down for videos 

Up to three million asylum seekers (pictured, Syrians on Turkish border) will arrive in Europe in the next two years, a report reveals

Up to three million asylum seekers (pictured, Syrians on Turkish border) will arrive in Europe in the next two years, a report reveals

Research says the EU's asylum system is 'unable to cope' after 1.27million people sought refuge last year (pictured, Syrians on Turkish border)

Research says the EU's asylum system is 'unable to cope' after 1.27million people sought refuge last year (pictured, Syrians on Turkish border)

ARRIVALS BY SEA UP TENFOLD  

Ten times as many migrants arrived in Europe by sea in the first six weeks of the year as in the same period of 2015, it was revealed yesterday.

Figures from the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) showed the number of arrivals topped 76,000.

Deaths on the treacherous routes across the Mediterranean also rose to 409 in the first six weeks, up from from 69 in 2015.

The IOM also predicted that next month Greece would receive its one millionth arrival since the migrant crisis began.

More than 1.1 million people fleeing poverty, war and repression in the Middle East, Asia and Africa reached Europe’s shores last year, most of them heading for Germany.

The organisation reported that 70,365 had arrived by sea in Greece so far this year, and 5,898 in Italy. Some 319 have died while crossing the eastern Mediterranean from Turkey to Greece and 90 on the central route between North Africa and Italy.

Of those who claimed asylum in Europe, around 362,000 – just 28 per cent – were from Syria, along with 175,000 from Afghanistan and 125,000 from Iraq.

The report warns: 'People who face no threat to their lives are also leaving their home countries to escape poor economic prospects.' Of 493,000 asylum applications decided so far, some 234,000 – or 47 per cent – failed.

MigrationWatch says this is fresh evidence that a large number of asylum seekers are economic migrants and that the problem will get worse unless EU nations suspend asylum appeals or introduce a 'deport first, appeal later' system. The warning comes as:

  • Turkey's foreign minister last night warned that up to a million more refugees could flee Syria if Russian president Vladimir Putin continues his bombing campaign. 
  • Shock figures showed ten times as many migrants arrived in Europe by sea in the first six weeks of the year as in the same period of 2015.
  • Angry residents on Kos confronted police with hunting rifles and dynamite in an attempt to stop the construction of a migrant processing camp on the popular holiday island. 
Of those who claimed asylum in Europe, around 362,000 – just 28 per cent – were from Syria (pictured, Syrians on Turkish border)

Of those who claimed asylum in Europe, around 362,000 – just 28 per cent – were from Syria (pictured, Syrians on Turkish border)

The EU border agency, Frontex, recorded 1.8 million illegal border crossings in 2015 (pictured, Syrian man on Turkish border)

The EU border agency, Frontex, recorded 1.8 million illegal border crossings in 2015 (pictured, Syrian man on Turkish border)

GREECE: FURY AT PLANS FOR MORE TRANSIT CAMPS 

The mayor of Kos says there will be 'uncontrollable' protests unless Greece scraps plans for a migrant registration camp on the island.

Armed locals have blockaded roads and lit fires around the proposed site to try to halt construction. They are concerned migrants will put off tourists – the island's main source of income.

The warning came in a letter from mayor Giorgos Kyritsis to Greek PM Alexis Tsipras. There were also protests this week in Athens, pictured, as the far-Right Golden Dawn party marched against plans for a transit camp in the Greek capital's suburbs.

Greece has said it will set up two relocation camps and five centres to separate refugees from economic migrants by next week.

The mayor of Kos (pictured, the outskirts of Athens) says there will be ‘uncontrollable’ protests unless Greece scraps plans for a migrant registration camp on the island

The mayor of Kos (pictured, the outskirts of Athens) says there will be 'uncontrollable' protests unless Greece scraps plans for a migrant registration camp on the island

Turkey is the main gateway to Europe with nearly a million migrants crossing the Aegean to the Greek islands since the start of last year. 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which compiled the figures quoted by Turkey, yesterday warned that it expected no fall in the number of arrivals. 

Russian bombing of Syria in support of its president, Bashar al-Assad, has intensified the crisis in recent days with tens of thousands arriving at the Turkish border as they seek to escape the bombardment. 

Turkey's foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu last night said more than a million more could be on their way unless Putin brings a halt to the campaign.

He said: 'Lately more than 50,000 Syrians have arrived at the Turkish border because of the Russian operations. 

'Turkey has opened its doors to 10,000 of them with the other 40,000 in camps on the border. If these bombings do not stop, that number could rise to hundreds of thousands and even exceed the million Only 12 per cent of Russian attacks in Syria are directed at Daesh. The remaining are targeting the Syrian opposition.'

Shock figures showed ten times as many migrants arrived in Europe by sea in the first six weeks of the year as in the same period of 2015 (pictured, migrants off Libyan coast)

Shock figures showed ten times as many migrants arrived in Europe by sea in the first six weeks of the year as in the same period of 2015 (pictured, migrants off Libyan coast)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which compiled the figures quoted by Turkey, yesterday warned that it expected no fall in the number of arrivals (pictured, migrants after being rescued in the Med)

The International Organization for Migration (IOM), which compiled the figures quoted by Turkey, yesterday warned that it expected no fall in the number of arrivals (pictured, migrants after being rescued in the Med)

Turkey is the main gateway to Europe with nearly a million migrants crossing the Aegean to the Greek islands since the start of last year (pictured, migrants being rescued on the Mediterranean) 

Turkey is the main gateway to Europe with nearly a million migrants crossing the Aegean to the Greek islands since the start of last year (pictured, migrants being rescued on the Mediterranean) 

HEALTH: NHS LOSING £500M A YEAR AS EU CITIZENS FAIL TO PAY HOSPITALS

Taxpayers are ripped off to the tune of at least £500million a year a because hospitals are too lax at charging Europeans for their treatment, Jeremy Hunt admitted yesterday.

Meanwhile the 'health tourism gap' between the amount the NHS collects from EU patients and the total hospitals on the Continent receive from Britain when UK residents fall ill abroad now stands at almost £700million.

Last night one health expert said the system was pushing the NHS to 'breaking point' – and said it was reason alone for a vote to leave the EU in this summer's referendum.

Yesterday the Health Secretary told MPs that at least £500million a year extra could be recovered if hospitals were more 'efficient'.

Mr Hunt said: 'When it comes to the EU, the biggest problem that we have is that we are able to reclaim the costs of people temporarily visiting the UK, but we do not do so as much as we should because the systems in hospitals are not as efficient as they need to be,' he said.

It followed comments by Professor Angus Dalgleish, principal of the Cancer Vaccine Institute, who warned the NHS has been left 'on its knees' by uncontrolled migration from the EU.

Professor Dalgleish stood for Ukip at the last general election. He is also foundation professor of oncology at St George's Hospital, South London.

His comments were backed up by cancer specialist Professor J Meirion Thomas, who has long been warning that many foreigners are travelling to Britain for expensive treatment and then leaving without paying.

He said: 'The problem is that EU migration into the UK is becoming an insurmountable problem for the NHS, which is at breaking point ...

'Half a billion EU citizens are entitled to free NHS care. This in itself is a good reason a good reason to vote for Brexit.'

Department of Health figures, released after a Freedom of Information request, show that in 2013/14, taxpayers handed £749.8million to European governments to pay for the care of UK citizens abroad, up from £649.3million a year before.

In the same year, the NHS managed to collect just £50.3million from European countries to pay for the care of their citizens who needed treatment here – an increase on £32million in a year.

But the huge amount going the other way leaves the 'health tourism gap' at £699.5million.

In 2008/09, the earliest year for which figures are available, the gap was just £418.2million. 

Meanwhile, another report warns that attempts by Britain and Europe to curb the mounting crisis will fail as long as migrants were looking for jobs and schools.

The Overseas Development Institute (ODI), a leading, left-leaning think-tank, says cracking down on benefits for those entering the EU would have limited impact on the numbers arriving. 

It finds that handouts from the UK and other European nations are not acting as a magnet to those seeking new lives in the wealthy West.

The ODI's report warns that 'harsh' policies to deter asylum seekers from heading to the UK are unlikely to work. Compiled from interviews with 52 non-EU migrants, it says: 'People wanted a place that offers safety and security, employment, schooling and education and decent living conditions.' 

MigrationWatch stressed that its latest report, based on official statistics, finds that significant numbers of asylum applicants have come from countries where there is no armed conflict – including 72,000 Kosovars and 66,000 Albanians. 

But the EU has a 'poor track record' of removing failed asylum seekers or those who overstay visas.

Lord Green of Deddington, chairman of MigrationWatch, says it is vital economic migrants are returned home 'swiftly' to break the link between arriving in Europe and staying on indefinitely.

 

Migrant Crisis

Most watched News videos