Alex Christoforou
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
The Greek Prime Minister has vowed “no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated”…
Greece sealed its key land Kastanies border crossing with Turkey Friday after Ankara declared it’s allowing refugees to flee Idlib and on to Europe for at least 72 hours, in response to Syrian-Russian airstrikes killing 33 Turkish troops Thursday.
Germany’s Bild newspaper reported Friday that Greece is taking further emergency measures to prevent Erdogan from effectively “opening the gates” on new waves of refugee and migrant hordes seeking entry to the EU, noting the country “completely closed off its borders with Turkey: not just for refugees, but for EVERYONE.”
The newspaper said 50 naval ships, likely most of them small patrol vessels, have been deployed by the Hellenic Navy to ensure those coming out of Turkey don’t get through.
“According to BILD information, the government sent 50 warships to the Greek islands to protect the EU’s external borders,” the German tabloid said. “Ten helicopters are also supposed to secure the transitions to Turkey on land.”
Greece’s Ekathimerini newspaper said military commandos were being sent to key crossings following an emergency meeting of key government officials Friday to deal with the crisis:
Patrols along the land and river border in northeastern Evros have been bolstered since Friday morning, when the first large groups of migrants began to arrive following an announcement on Thursday night by a Turkish government official saying that Ankara would no longer try to prevent Syrians fleeing war in their country from attempting the crossing to the European Union.The army has also dispatched two commando units to help the Hellenic Police guards at the border, and particularly to patrol the more dangerous sections of the Evros River.
And The Guardian reported further early Friday: “Hundreds of Syrian refugees in Turkey have begun preparing to travel towards the country’s borders with Greece and Bulgaria after Ankara’s sudden decision to no longer impede their passage to Europe.”
“Turkish police, coastguard and border security officials were ordered to stand down overnight on Thursday, Turkish officials briefed reporters,” the report added.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis vowed that “no illegal entries into Greece will be tolerated” – noting greatly tightened security along the EU’s external borders.
Turkey’s communications director Fahrettin Altun had earlier said Turkey had “no choice” but to relax border controls after its pleas for greater European help in assisting with the over 3 million refugees on its territory went unheeded.
However, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu sought to downplay new reports of Turkey encouraging refugees exit toward Europe, saying Turkey’s policy hasn’t changed. But footage coming out of Turkey and the Greece-Turkey main crossing throughout Friday speaks otherwise.
The statements, views and opinions expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of this site. This site does not give financial, investment or medical advice.
Erdogan is flushing his toilet and expecting to use Europe as his sewer. The Europeans are so spineless they will probably just take this.
Erdogan and his merry jihadi head choppers were the ones, along with that shrew Clinton, the Saudis and Israelis, who destabilized Syria and turned it into a living and dying nightmare. Let ISIS and al Qaeda leave Syria and rule Turkey if he’s so enamored of them. He can incorporate them into his military, like Poroshenko did witth his neo-nazis. America will smile upon him. Stealing Syria’s oil, its industry and its archeological heritage, while plotting chemical attacks with British scum and his false flaggers, that he probably had killed in fear of his spilling the beans, that’s your Turkish… Read more »
RUPTLY:
Greece: Heavy police presence at Turkish border as migrants and refugees seek to enter Europe
Ruptly 1,03 M abonnés Greek police were gathered in force at the Pazarkule border crossing, near Kastanies, as migrants and refugees gathered to wait for their chance to try and enter Europe, after Ankara said it would no longer prevent them from doing so. Thousands of migrants headed toward Turkey’s border with Greece a day earlier, after initial reports about Turkey’s decision emerged. Footage filmed from the Greek town of Kastanies shows what appear to be tear gas canisters with Turkish writing upon them, which were allegedly thrown by migrants at Greek forces as they attempted to force their way… Read more »