In 2022, EU countries received 1 million requests for refugee status

This figure does not include more than 4 million Ukrainians who have been granted temporary protection in the European Union. Among the applicants, the natives of Syria, Afghanistan and Turkey are in the lead, the Associated Press reports.

Turks, whose number of requests has doubled from 55,000, say they are tired of instability in their country, spikes in inflation and "democratic rollback." But still, Turks are mostly civilized citizens with education, profession and means of livelihood. Nevertheless, AP writes, migration services almost rarely refuse Syrians, Belarusians and Ukrainians

The European Asylum Agency has linked the increase in asylum seekers to the continued easing of travel restrictions due to the coronavirus in Europe, food insecurity in Eastern countries, as well as due to armed conflicts in their homeland.

Brussels recognizes that although the majority of asylum seekers enter the EU legally, mainly by plane with tourist visas, a significant part of them still crossed the land and sea borders of the EU illegally.

Last year, the asylum authorities issued decisions on more than 600,000 applications. Of these, 40% received refugee status.