Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrisochoidis set off for the Evros border region on Wednesday, while police reinforcements were being sent to boost existing forces in the area, with about 400 officers dispatched from various parts of Greece.
Chrisochoidis is expected to arrive in Alexandroupolis at noon and from there he is to tour the border line in Evros. He will then chair a meeting with the mayor of Alexandroupolis and the heads of the Border Police in Feres.
The minister will also be informed about the progress of actions for the construction of a new 26 km fence on the border line, which are being fast-tracked. A technical study for the construction of the new fence is now expected, in order to initiate the procedures for selecting a contractor for the project, which will be completed in the near future.
By order of the Hellenic Police, issued on Tuesday, a total of 400 police officers are to be deployed along the length of the Evros border to strengthen security by May 29.
A high-ranking official of the citizen protection ministry told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA) that security measures in Evros had never been relaxed following the recent mass attempts by migrants to illegally enter Greece, which were prevented thanks to the immediate reaction of Greek forces, but that the police presence as now being further strengthened. “Turkey is constantly keeping the issue at the forefront,” the source added.
He also said that forces coming from the rest of Greece will boost surveillance of all crossings at the border with Turkey, as the neighbouring country might try to send a new wave of migrants and he stressed that “Evros is sealed.”
source amna.gr
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