Turkey denies allegations from Greek ministries that 92 naked migrants were driven across the common border into Greece. “Spend your time respecting human rights, not manipulation and dishonesty!” Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Catakli tweeted Saturday evening.
Several Greek ministries reported on Saturday that the migrants had undressed near the border river Evros in northeastern Greece. The incident happened on Friday, the Ministry of Civil Protection said.
Photo spread quickly
Officials from the EU border security agency Frontex are said to have been on the spot on the Greek side of the border. However, Frontex initially did not confirm the facts. A photo of naked men was circulated Saturday in a tweet by Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis, who claimed to prove the incident.
Minister: ‘Pity for civilization’
The minister accused Turkey of sending the people across the border. Turkey’s behavior towards the 92 migrants rescued by Greek border guards on the Evros is a disgrace to civilization. Ankara is expected to investigate the incident, Mitarakis wrote.
The Greek Ministry of Civil Protection also confirmed the incident. Accordingly, Greek Border Guard police officers rescued the people “in cooperation with Frontex”. The migrants were naked and had no luggage, a statement said on Saturday.
Brought across the Evros in rubber boats
Some migrants told Greek officials they had been transported to the river in three vehicles owned by Turkish authorities and placed in dinghies to cross to Greece. According to a statement from the Greek police, some people were injured. The migrants were dressed and cared for.
Athens wants to close the border on the Evros River in the northeast of the country almost completely due to the increased number of illegal border crossings from Turkey. The existing 35 km border fence along the river is currently being extended by 80 km. Not only on the Evros, but also in the eastern Aegean Sea, Greek border guards had recently registered a significant increase in the number of refugees.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
