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.

Greece is temporarily suspending asylum applications from migrants who reach the country by sea from North Africa. After two days of debate, the parliament in Athens voted to approve the measure on Friday.

Greece on Friday enforced a three-month freeze on asylum claims from migrants arriving by boat from North Africa, to stem a surge from Libya that the government has called an "invasion".