The Director of Directus.gr, Andreas Mountzouroulias, spoke about the fence on the Evros and about the Turkish provocations in Al Mashhad.
What he said in detail:
“Turkey sends thousands of migrants to the Aegean and Evros and does not respect international rules. For years it has been sending us immigrants mainly from Pakistan, Syria and Afghanistan. In 2022, around 250,000 illegal entries from land borders were prevented.
Greece wants peace, but at the same time it is taking measures.”
“The left, NGOs and Turkey are making propaganda against Greece.”
“Turkey is waging a hybrid war on Greece.”
“Turkey does not respect international rules and violates the Treaties every day. It sends fighters over the Aegean every day. We want peace, but we are preparing for everything as a country.”
“We sent humanitarian aid to Turkey after the devastating earthquake, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to back down.”
About the fence
A closely watched 80-million-euro contract to extend a fortified fence-cum-barrier in the extreme northeast Evros prefecture was signed on Friday between Greece’s relevant public order ministry and a consortium comprised of the local companies Intrakat and Terna.
The wall currently spans 37.5 kilometers, and the government plans to extend it by 35 kilometers over the next 12 months. More than 100 kilometers of wall will be added to that by 2026, government officials said.
Border security remains a high-profile issue in Greece due to long-standing disputes with Turkey and a mass migration of refugees and migrants into the European Union.
The 140-kilometer extension will be constructed in the central sector of the Evros River boundary, on the Greek side.
In short the new fence will feature a strong galvanized steel metal railing, five meters high and six meters deep. It will have an anti-climb structure and will have a barbed concertina on top. The information says that seven “armored” observation posts will be built, while according to the relevant ministries.
In 2022, around 250,000 illegal entries from the land borders were prevented.
A major cross-border crisis erupted in late February and March 2020 when tens of thousands of people, mostly young males ostensibly from the Middle East, Pakistan and Afghanistan, unsuccessfully attempted to illegally enter Greece from Turkey in the Evros prefecture, with Athens sharply accusing the Erdogan administration of orchestrating the provocation.