The Greek government wants to completely close the border with Turkey in the northeast of the country to migrants. The existing 35-kilometer border fence will be extended by 80 km, Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis told Skai on Sunday. This secures all those regions that could otherwise be passed on foot. The background is the current high tensions between Athens and Ankara and more illegal entries.
The two NATO members Turkey and Greece disagree over natural gas reserves, sovereign territories, the Cyprus issue and a number of other issues. Most recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis no longer existed for him, cutting the talk.
Now Athens fears Erdogan could once again leverage migrants, as he did in 2020 when he opened the border with Greece on the Evros River and thousands of people moved there.
The number of attempts at illegal entry has recently increased significantly. About 40,000 transfers have been prevented since the start of the year alone, Civil Defense Minister Takis Theodorikakos told Skai on Sunday.
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.
