Greece to expand Turkish border fence

Sources: https://is.gd/F6SASt https://is.gd/Mo8s2p

The Greek government will expand the border fence along the Evros river in preparation for a fresh migrant wave and claimed that Turkish officials fired at Greek police earlier this month.

The plan to extend the border fence comes as part of new legislation aimed at tackling the spread of the Wuhan coronavirus and outlined that Greek authorities will build the border fence extension “regardless of the expenditure budget”.

Armoured military vehicles will also be deployed along the northern border with Turkey “for the purpose of covering extraordinary and urgent needs to serve the public interest and protection of national and EU borders”, newspaper Proto Thema reports.

The Greek government has also claimed this week that Turkey may be sending migrants back to the Greek border area after previously closing the border late last month over coronavirus infection fears.

“We have noticed some suspicious movements… As a result, we have ordered a heightened alert for the next few days during the Easter holiday,” a Greek government source had said, with Greek Orthodox Easter celebrated later in the calendar than in Western churches.

Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas confirmed the claims, saying that the Greeks had seen “signs of activity”.

Greek Defence Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos went on to add: “We will strengthen our forces along the borders. In Evros, the existing fence is strengthened and created in places where it did not exist. At sea, where the effort is more difficult than on land, we are there with the Coast Guard.”

During the weeks following President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan opening the Turkish border to migrants, Greek authorities reported multiple acts of aggression from Turkish forces and authorities stationed along the border.

This week it was revealed that earlier this month Turkish special forces had shot towards Greek police, both in the air and in their direction.

The incidents occurred on the evening of April 7th near the village of Sofiko and saw at least three Turkish soldiers fire their weapons on three separate occasions. The Greeks did not return fire.