Under a law to be passed this year a further 80,000 could be expelled. In Greece 4,256 immigrants have been picked up at sea this year, while 13,502 have been caught at the land border and sent back. In the past 18 months 100,000, mainly Albanians, have been repatriated. There are now so many illegal immigrants in Greece that the state radio broadcasts in 12 languages. Greek authorities say there are at least 600,000 illegal immigrants in the country - the figure could be a million.
Many migrants never make it.
Most of their bodies are swept out into the Atlantic and are never recovered. Spain has 750,000 immigrants with legal status and at least 250,000 more seeking permission to stay. There are tens of thousands of others who also came across the Mediterranean and have either made it to northern Europe or have simply disappeared into the labour black market. Plans were revealed last month for an electronic eye that will put the entire length of the Spanish coastline under surveillance by 2004 using a chain of radar towers. The scanners will be able to pinpoint and enlarge on camera at a distance of 10 kilometres the open boats packed with migrants making for the beachs.