ATHENS (Reuters) -Greek lawmakers voted on Friday to temporarily stop processing asylum requests from migrants arriving from North Africa by sea in a bid to reduce arrivals into Europe's southernmost tip, a move rights groups and opposition parties have called illegal.

Greek lawmakers prepared to vote on legislation on Thursday that would temporarily halt the processing of asylum applications of people coming from North Africa, a move rights groups have called illegal.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Wednesday that Greece will pause processing asylum applications from people arriving from North Africa as the nation faces a surge in migrants. “With legislation that will be submitted to the parliament tomorrow,