Greece securing land border to fend off possible migrant surge, minister says

Greece is taking all necessary measures to beef up security along the Evros border, Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said Wednesday, amid reports of a possible surge in migrants seeking to cross into the European Union from Turkey.

“Greece is protecting and securing its borders, particularly its land borders,” Panagiotopoulos told Skai TV. “This was demonstrated in March in the most emphatic fashion,” he said in reference to the migrant standoff along the border following an announcement by Ankara that it would no longer prevent migrants from crossing.

There are concerns of a fresh standoff on the Evros border after Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu suggested migrants would shortly return to the frontier following the easing of coronavirus restrictions.

Asked about how Greece will react in the case Turkey makes good on its threat to drill south of Crete, Panagiotopoulos said, “We will do what is necessary to prevent any violation of our sovereign rights.”