A report by Germany’s “Bild” newspaper accuses Greek authorities of circumventing EU asylum regulations by allowing thousands of migrants already granted protection in Greece to move to Germany and reapply for asylum to gain greater benefits.
According to figures from the Federal Police and the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), about 24,800 people filed initial asylum applications in Germany in 2024 despite having protection status in Greece. Between January and November 2025, another 14,500 such cases were recorded.
Roughly 5,000 arrived by plane, while others came via land routes or with the help of smuggling networks. German authorities rejected 17,500 applications as “unfounded” or “inadmissible,” while around 10,300 were approved.
Manuel Ostermann, deputy head of the Federal Police Union, stated: “The Schengen system has clearly failed, and there is no real European solidarity in migration policy.”
Sources - Agencies
