Greek lawmakers voted on Friday to temporarily stop processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea in a bid to reduce arrivals into Europe's southernmost tip, a move rights groups and opposition parties have called illegal.

Greece has suspended the processing of asylum applications from North Africa for three months after a surge in migrant numbers. Arrivals by boat from the region will be arrested and detained, conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Wednesday that Greece will pause processing asylum applications from people arriving from North Africa as the nation faces a surge in migrants. “With legislation that will be submitted to the parliament tomorrow,