The main nationalities registered by the RIS last year were as follows: Main nationalities of registrations in reception & identification procedures: 2023 0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 14000 16000 Syria Afghanistan Palestine Iraq Somalia Turkiye Egypt Ethiopia Sierra Leone DRC Evros & islands Mainland Source: Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Reception and identification statistics, 2023 These countries of origin coincide with the main nationalities of people who sought asylum in Greece during the same period. Most of the 64,212 asylum applications lodged in 2023 concerned Syria (14,015), Afghanistan (9,488), Palestine (6,736) and Iraq (6,455).5 Return procedures Throughout 2023, the Hellenic Police issued 29,869 removal orders against third-country nationals and stateless persons. Specifically, it took 19,188 return decisions based on L 3907/2011 transposing the Return Directive, 10,681 deportation decisions based on L 3386/2005 in derogation from the Return Directive. As we have repeatedly highlighted, police authorities systematically circumvent EU law by indiscriminately issuing deportation orders against newly arrived persons who seek asylum and thereby enjoy a right to remain on the territory. 6 Figures show that deportation orders in derogation from the Return Directive were issued in respect of 5 6 Ministry of Migration and Asylum, Statistics, December 2023, 6, available here. RSA, Persisting systematic detention of asylum seekers in Greece, June 2022, available here. RSA POLICY NOTE │ IMMIGRATION DETENTION | MAY 2024 3