(VOVworld) – The flow of refugees and migrants to Europe has slowed since April when the EU sealed a deal with Turkey to halt illegal migration into Europe, Frontex, the agency in charge of protecting the EU's external borders, said on Tuesday.

African migrants at Tripoli port on June 7 (Photo: TTXVN)

The agency said the EU-Turkey deal, under which Ankara agreed to halt illegal migration in return for financial and political rewards, and the closure of the Balkan route for migrants, are the two main reasons behind the declining figures. Migrant influx into Greece has diminished to 50 people a day from approximately 3,000 to 4,000 in the last few months. But Frontex said the new front line is now Italy, where about 750 people arrive each day. Most of them are African migrants crossing the Mediterranean Sea from Libya to Italy before heading to countries in northern Europe.