More migrants arrive in Lesbos despite EU-Turkey migration deal

Greece on Saturday started preparations on the Aegean island of Lesbos to implement a deal between the European Union and Turkey aiming to curb the flow of migrants into Europe and effective as of Sunday. Under the pact, Turkey would take back all illegal migrants who cross to Greece in return for the EU taking in thousands of Syrian refugees directly from Turkey and rewarding it with more money, early visa-free travel and progress in its EU membership negotiations. Those who arrive in Greece from Sunday will be subject to being sent back to Turkey. The returns are to begin on April 4. With more than 4,000 migrants already on Lesbos island, Greek authorities started evacuating the island's 'hot spot' registration centres on Saturday to make space for the new arrivals that would fall under the terms of the accord. Buses arrived at the registration centres to pick up the migrants and carried them to the port of Mytilene where they boarded a ferry heading for Kavala harbour in northern Greece. From there, the migrants will be transferred to various shelters set up and run by Greek authorities in the territory in recent weeks. According to the latest data released by Greek authorities, 1,498 people arrived on Greece's islands from neighbouring Turkey from Friday until 06:00 GMT on Saturday.