Greece upgrades border security to Maximum, suspends Asylum, calls Turkey “a trafficker”
March 1, 2020
Greece has decided to suspend asylum for a month and to activate a series of EU and Frontext mechanisms to protect her land and sea borders, while thousands of migrants are pushing their way to the country in Evros and the Aegean islands.
“Turkey has become a trafficker itself,” government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Sunday evening, following an extraordinary meeting of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) that has decided a series of measures to deal with the dramatic migration crisis.
Read more at https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2020/03/01/greece-migration-asylum-borders-turkey/
“Migration Crisis” Made in Turkey: : More than 500 people arrive on Aegean islands
March 1, 2020
Migration Crisis Made in Turkey: More than 500 people have arrived on the islands of Lesvos, Chios and Samos by Sunday noon, while more are reportedly on the way to Greece. The plastic boats started leaving from six different locations in west coast of Turkey since the early morning hours of Sunday. Arriving migrants said that they were guided by traffickers and Turkish authorities to specific locations in the West coast where boats were waiting for them. At the same time, the Greek Coast Guard says that the Turkish Coast Guard does not respond to calls to tug the migrants boats back to the country.
Read more at https://www.keeptalkinggreece.com/2020/03/01/migration-crisis-greece-islands-aegean-lesvos/
Greece calls out Turkish ‘disinformation’ on migrants
March 1, 2020
Greece’s foreign ministry says Tuirkey engages in a disinformation campaign concerning the number of migrants who have entrered Greek territory from Turkey.
The response came hours after a tweet by Turkey’s Interior Minister Suleyman Soylu tweeted that “As of 09.55 hours [8:55 a.m. Greece time], the number of immigrants leaving our country via Edirne is 76 thousand 358.”
Read more at http://www.ekathimerini.com/250095/article/ekathimerini/news/greece-calls-out-turkish-disinformation-on-migrants
Greece: Locals shout at migrants to “go away” as boat reaches Lesbos
March 1, 2020
A group of local residents were seen barring a boat with over a dozen migrants from docking as it was approaching the shores of the Greek island of Lesbos on Sunday. Footage shows residents shouting at migrants and telling them to “go away” as the boat reached the shores. The boat is believed to have come from Turkey. Thousands of migrants headed toward Turkey’s border with Greece earlier in the week after initial reports emerged that Turkey would no longer prevent them from attempting to cross into Europe.
Read more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BadznLzhbs
Tear Gas From Turkey Thrown to Greece; Greek Police Officer Injured
March 1, 2020
Tensions on Greece’s border with Turkey in Evros continue on Sunday, leaving a Greek police officer injured.
The Greek police officer was injured during a new round of clashes between law enforcement and migrants trying to enter Greece. Refugees and migrants from the Turkish side of the border were throwing rocks toward Greece.
Sources for Greek Reporter can confirm the police officer was rushed to the hospital in the border city of Didimoticho. His condition is good.
Meanwhile, a video emerged on Sunday afternoon showing tear gas being thrown from the Turkish side toward Greek police forces.
Read more at https://greece.greekreporter.com/2020/03/01/tear-gas-from-turkey-thrown-to-greece-greek-police-officer-injured/
Buses in Istanbul transport refugees from Turkey to border with Greece for free
29 February 2020
On a cold night in Istanbul, Hani al-Hassan sat on the street with his wife and child waiting for the buses that will take them for free to the Turkish-Greek border, from where the family plans to make its way to central Europe.
Hassan, a Syrian refugee, told Middle East Eye that he was displaced from the Syrian capital, Damascus, to Turkey seven years ago. Until recently he has worked in the country as a tailor, with a monthly income barely enough for rent and utility bills.
Turkish official sources told MEE on Friday that Turkey will open its borders to all refugees moving towards Europe.
Read more at https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/buses-istanbul-transport-refugees-turkey-border-greece-free
Turkey is using Syrian refugees as mere pawns in a dangerous game
March 1, 2020
Turkey is once again using the displaced and the helpless as pawns in its dangerous, years-long geopolitical game with Syria and Europe. As vast numbers of refugees are forced to make their way on foot through the hills and fields that comprise Turkey’s European border, the world must act now if it is to avert another humanitarian crisis threatening to unfold in the Mediterranean.
On Friday, Ankara declared that it was opening its land and sea crossings to Europe to allow Syrian migrants and refugees living within its borders to make their way to the continent. Its decision to turn on the migrant-flow tap came shortly after an air strike by Bashar Al Assad’s regime forces in Syria killed 33 Turkish soldiers stationed in the war-torn country’s north-western province of Idlib.
Read more at https://www.thenational.ae/opinion/editorial/turkey-is-using-syrian-refugees-as-mere-pawns-in-a-dangerous-game-1.986207
Greece: Thousands protest against refugee crisis in Lesbos
Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Mytilene, the capital city of Lesbos on Wednesday to protest against the numbers of refugees arriving at the island. Shop and restaurant owners as well as bus and taxi drivers joined the rally also attended by North Aegean Regional Governor Kostas Moutzouris. “We are trying to give a message around to the whole world that this can’t go on anymore. Lesbos has had the load on its shoulders for five years it cannot go anymore. My association tried to send a messaged today by lying on the street and writing the word Lesvos SOS because we are asking for SOS,” said Eleni Zitenellis, one of protesters.
Read more at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BCfi3hVl1qw
