“We understand that the Greek police and Frontex are re-establishing contact with their Turkish counterparts, but the dates keep changing, so we don’t know when cooperation will restart” Mr. Cochetel told the British newspaper, referring to deportations of undocumented migrants arriving in Greece from Turkey, as foreseen by the deal.
 
The EU-Turkey agreement signed in March 2016 and put into effect a little later aims to stem the migration flows into Europe. In return, Turkey would receive a 6 billion euros aid fund to improve conditions for stranded migrants and refugees and visa liberation for its citizens.
 
Meanwhile, some 57.000 refugees and migrants are also trapped in Greece in dire conditions, following the closure of northern borders by neighboring countries. On Tuesday, authorities recorded the highest new arrivals on Greek islands in several weeks. More than 460 migrants and refugees arrived from Turkey on Tuesday, up from 149 the previous day. Most entered through the Aegean islands of Lesbos and Kos. The numbers are still small compared to last year’s flows and the number of those trying to reach Italy from Africa -some 6.500 migrants were saved off the Libyan coast on Monday, the Italian coast guard said.