Greece Extends 80km Wall at Turkish Border to Prevent Migrants From Crossing Into Europe
On Sunday, May 29, Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis said the extended wall would prevent movement in the regions that could otherwise be crossed on foot, AtoZSerwisPlus.com reports.
Both Greece and Turkey are NATO members and the same have for a long time had strained relations due to the issue of migrants.
Due to such relations, only recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis no longer exists for him and thus ruled out any dialogue between the two governments in this regard.
Recently, Athens has expressed its fear that Erdogan may again use immigrants as leverage, as he did in 2020 when he declared the border with Greece open on the Evros River, and thousands of people crossed from Turkey into Greece and thus into the EU.
Recently the number of attempts for illegal entry has increased significantly. On Sunday, Minister of Civil Defense Takis Theodorikakos added that about 40,000 transfers had been blocked since the beginning of the year alone.
On the other hand, Turkey has also repeatedly condemned Greece’s illegal practise of deporting asylum seekers, saying it violates humanitarian values ??and international law that endangers the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.
In 2016, the EU-Turkey Agreement was signed, a declaration of cooperation based on three main points according to which Turkey would take any necessary measures to stop people travelling illegally from Turkey to the Greek islands.
Turkey will also repatriate all those who arrive illegally. For any Syrians returning from the islands, EU member states will have to accept a Syrian refugee who had been waiting inside Turkey.
The main points for refugees seeking to leave Turkey for the European Union are the five provinces of Turkey in the Aegean Sea, including:
- Çanakkale
- Bal?kesir
- Izmir
- Mu?la
- Aydin
In recent years, hundreds of thousands of migrants have made dangerous trips across the Aegean to reach Western and Northern Europe, which were dangerous for them but came from a search for a better life.
Moreover, hundreds of people have died at sea as many refugee boats sink or capsize too often, but the Turkish Coast Guard Command comes to their aid, rescuing thousands more.
