The Armed Forces and the Hellenic Police are on full alert and vigilant after the new barrage of challenges from Turkey against Greece.
After Turkey's Foreign Ministry Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said illegal immigrants are about to return to the Greek-Turkish border after the end of the coronavirus pandemic, Greece has decided to take strong precautionary measures to shield Evros.
An order has been given to send an additional 400 police officers and military personnel to critical points along the borders.
Regarding the installation of additional fencing from about 12 km to a total of 28-30 km, the Ministry of Civil Protection expects the submission of technical studies to proceed with the project of more fencing in the coming months, preferably as soon as possible. This is in addition to the installation of pylons with thermal cameras, surveillance cameras, etc. In the next few days, additional reinforcements may be sent to reinforce the 400 security officers already sent to bolster border protection.
The first forces have already gone to the area and it is expected that by Wednesday the reinforcements of security personnel in the area will be completed, with officers who will come from all over the country, but mainly from Athens and Thessaloniki.
Greece is not in immediate danger with what has been done in Evros. Armoured police vehicles have been stationed in the area for a long time, necessary equipment has been transferred, while cooperation with the Frontex [European Union] Armed Forces remains at an excellent level, for the timely confrontation of any possible attempt at new provocative actions.
Turkey attempted to asymmetrically invade Greece with illegal immigrants in February and March, but utterly failed and had to withdraw as coronavirus began to spread across the migrant camps on the Turkish side of the border.
