The Greek government has warned that they would not allow the illegal entry of migrants by land or by sea, after a large increase in attempted entries through the Aegean islands and land border with Turkey over the past few days.
Almost a dozen boats, carrying hundreds of migrants, have unsuccessfully attempted to cross from Turkey’s coast to the Greek islands in the past 48 hours.
Just yesterday, the Greek Coast Guard prevented 5 sailing boats with over 450 people onboard from entering the Greek territorial waters between the islands of Chios and Samos.
“We won’t allow anyone to enter Greece illegally either from Evros or through the islands. Let everyone realise this,” Civil Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos said on the ANT1 TV channel.
Regarding the land borders where the Evros river is more accessible in late spring and the summer months, the minister said that “there is pressure all these months.”
He warned that “everyone inside and outside the borders must know that the Greek Police and the Armed Forces are protecting the integrity of the country.”
“The country, the prime minister and the government as a whole, with respect to the international law, are defending our national interests in a very stable way.”
Source: Ekathimerini, KTG
