“The construction of the new fence on the Greek-Turkish border in Evros was the least the government could do to make Greek citizens feel safe who are keeping the country’s morale high at such a difficult moment,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis underlined during his visit to Evros over the weekend.
In March this year, Turkey attempted to asymmetrically invade Greece with the use of tens of thousands of illegal immigrants from Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Turkey had not only falsely told the illegal immigrants that Greece’s borders were open, but it also facilitated the transportation of the illegal immigrants and utilized their army to try and tear down Greece’s border wall. This damage is currently being repaired.
From February 28 to August 3 this year, over 60,000 illegal immigrants were prevented from entering Greece from the Evros area on the Greek-Turkish border region.
According to SKAI, many of the illegal immigrants arrested by authorities were seeking political asylum in Greece, claiming they were government officials in Turkey and opponents of the Erdoğan government.
The border fence project has a total budget of €62.9 million. It will have a total length of 27 kilometres and eight elevated observatories will be constructed to be used by the Hellenic Army. Moreover, the existing fence will be reinforced with a steel railing measuring 4.3 meters in height, instead of the current 3.5 meters.
The Greek PM noted that the work is advancing rapidly, adding that the project will be completed in April 2021 as planned.
He also had the opportunity to speak to some of the border guards. "We would like to thank you for the state’s support in this difficult task that we have been doing for many years: for the new hiring of colleagues after 18 years. It is really great support for us," said the representative of the border guards, Panagiotis Harelas to the Prime Minister.