Greek government closes the borders with Turkey to illegal immigrants in a first reaction to Turkey’s unprecedented decision to release migrant flows to Greece, prompting hordes of people to enter Europe.
“Significant numbers of migrants and refugees have gathered in large groups at the Greek-Turkish land border and have attempted to enter the country illegally. I want to be clear: no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated. We are increasing our border security”, the Prime Minister wrote on twitter.
“Greece does not bear any responsibility for the tragic events in Syria and will not suffer the consequences of decisions taken by others. I have informed the European Union of the situation.”
Significant numbers of migrants and refugees have gathered in large groups at the Greek-Turkish land border and have attempted to enter the country illegally. I want to be clear: no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated. We are increasing our border security.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) February 28, 2020
Greece does not bear any responsibility for the tragic events in Syria and will not suffer the consequences of decisions taken by others. I have informed the European Union of the situation.
— Prime Minister GR (@PrimeministerGR) February 28, 2020
At this time – and following the Turkish government’s decision to allow transit to Greece to illegal immigrants and refugees on the pretext of the gathering of one million displaced people from Idlib, an undetermined number of immigrants and refugees are concentrated in Turkish territories near the Greek-Turkish border.
The Turkish twitter is dominated by the phrase “Avrupa ‘ya”, meaning “in Europe”, which indicates the high mobility of human flows to Greece.
“There is mobility in both Orestiada and Didymoteicho and Soufli”, says a Greek military source, adding that about 150.000 inside Turkey are waiting to find a way to cross into Greece.
At this time, the customs office in the Kastanies of Evros has been closed with anti-riot police forces being ordered to prevent the entry of anyone who will attempt to cross into Greece illegally. From noon on, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis and the chief of the National Defence General Staff General Constantinos Floros inspect the area from Orestiada to Alexandroupolis to get a close picture of the situation.
