August and September saw the highest numbers of migrant arrivals since a deal struck between Turkey and the EU in 2016.

Axar.az reports citing The National that Greece's prime minister accused Turkey on Friday of appearing to "exploit" Europe's migrant crisis for its own ends and said Ankara could and should control migrant flows to the continent.

"I want to be absolutely clear," Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told parliament. "Turkey... must also assume its responsibility.

"It has the ability to control the flows in the Aegean. It cannot give the impression that it is exploiting this issue for its own geopolitical pursuits," he said.

Flows to Greece slowed to a trickle after the EU and Turkey agreed to seal off the Aegean route in 2016, before picking up again in August and September to the highest monthly numbers in the three years since the deal.

Turkey, which hosts 3.6 million Syrian refugees, has threatened to "open the gates" unless Ankara receives adequate international support for a plan to resettle 1 million refugees in northern Syria.