(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 11 SET - While asylum applications in Europe are declining significantly—down 17% to their lowest levels since 2019—Greece remains at the top of the list in terms of pressure exerted relative to population size. This is according to a new report by the European Union Agency for Asylum, as cited by Greek media. Specifically, in the first half of the year, the Mediterranean nation received approximately 23,000 applications for international protection, accounting for 7% of the total recorded across the 27 EU member states, plus Norway and Switzerland. Greece leads the way in terms of per capita applications, with 2,254 per million inhabitants—or roughly one application for every 444 residents. Cyprus follows with 1,732, while the average is 710 applications per million people. (ANSA).