How did the migrant and refugee crisis affect Greece during Alexis Tsipras's second term?

During Alexis Tsipras’s second term as prime minister, Greece faced a significant humanitarian challenge as a primary entry point for a massive wave of migrants and refugees fleeing turmoil in the Middle East and Africa. Many of these individuals arrived on Greek islands after making perilous boat journeys from Turkey, intending to travel onward to northern Europe.12

Like many other European Union members, Greece struggled to manage the influx compassionately. The situation was partially mitigated in March 2016 when the EU and Turkey reached an accord. Under this agreement, Turkey committed to accepting the return of migrants who had reached Greece but failed to apply for asylum or had their requests denied, in exchange for refugee aid, visa-free travel for some Turkish citizens, and discussions regarding potential EU membership. Following this deal, the number of migrants attempting to enter Greece from Turkey dropped sharply, although tens of thousands of individuals remained in the country.21