Lithuania among least popular EU countries among asylum-seekers

Lithuania is one of the least popular countries in the European Union (EU) in terms of asylum applications, Eurostat said.

Although the number of applications for asylum in Lithuania soared by 51 percent, from 275 to 410, last year from 2015, it remains among the smallest in the EU, with 142 applications 1 million residents in Lithuania, as compared with the EU average of 2,360.

Fewer applications per 1 million residents is reported in Slovakia (18), Portugal (69), Romania (94), Estonia and the Czech Republic (114 each).

The biggest share of those applying for asylum in Lithuania come from Syria, Russia and Iraq.

All in all, the number of first-time applicants for asylum in the EU saw a slight decline from 1.257 million people in 2015 to 1.204 persons last year, however, the 2016 figures is double the number reported in 2014.