Mitsotakis: No stepping back from construction of border fence

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has vowed he will not “step back from the protection of the [country’s] borders and the safety of people living in border areas,” during a speech at an event in the northeastern city of Komotini.

The premier was presenting the government’s development plan for Eastern Macedonia and Thrace during a visit to the region.

Referring to the fence along the Greek-Turkish border along the Evros River, he said: “The fence, a part of which has already been built, will continue to be built and will be completed. And with national resources, if this is necessary. Unfortunately, Europe – in what is another small European absurdity – does not finance it. But it does not matter, we will build it ourselves.”

Mitsotakis also said that it was his “personal decision” not to proceed now with the privatization of the port of Alexandroupoli.

“And I did this for reasons that are both geopolitical and economic,” he added. “I firmly believe that the port of Alexandroupoli is of such great importance that at this extremely important geopolitical juncture it should not have left the hands of the Greek state.”

“This does not mean, however, that significant resources will not be invested in the port of Alexandroupoli, in order to upgrade it.”