Crisis on the Turkish border: Greece takes new measures - and gives figures

2020-03-05T21:52:21.857Z

Due to the emergency in northern Syria, tens of thousands are forced to cross the border with the EU. An order from the Greek government tilts the situation.

The situation on the EU's external border with Turkey is becoming increasingly acute.
Turkish President Erdogan threatens the EU not to comply with the refugee pact.
The Greek coast guard is trying to stop tens of thousands of refugees by any means.

Update 10:20 pm: Due to the significantly increased number of refugees in the past few days, the Greek government has imposed restrictions on shipping traffic around the Aegean islands of Lesbos and Samos . The measure was intended to combat "illegal migration via the sea", the Ministry of Defense announced on Thursday in Athens. Government officials have said that around 1,700 refugees have arrived in the Greek islands since Turkey's opening of the borders to the EU.

The situation on Lesbos is precarious - here refugees queue for food at the port of Mytelene.

According to the Ministry of Defense, the restrictions on shipping traffic will initially apply until March 12. Merchant ships "with valid maritime papers" are expressly excluded. Accordingly, the new rules apply above all to small ships and boats - many refugees try to use these to try to get from Turkey across the sea to Greece and thus to the EU.

Syria and Turkey crisis: Laschet accuses Erdogan of "not allowing this game"

Update at 9:50 p.m .: Armin Laschet, Prime Minister of North Rhine-Westphalia and candidate for the post of CDU party leader, has demanded a resolute response to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after the escalation at the Greek external EU border. "You have to increase the pressure on Erdogan that we will not allow this game, how he wages war in Idlib and puts Europe under pressure with refugees," Laschet told the Westfälische Nachrichten and the Westfalen-Blatt .

"It is clear that 2015 should not be repeated like this," emphasized Laschet. At that time hundreds of thousands of refugees had come to Germany. "European action is correct: protect the EU's external border and do not give the impression of letting groups back in now," said the head of government of North Rhine-Westphalia. "That's what the Greens want, but that only means that more people want to come."

Greek-Turkish border: two thirds of Afghan crossings

Update at 19:25: Greek border guards and police officers have since Saturday arrested 252 people who had illegally entered the country from Turkey via the border . As the Greek daily Kathimerini reported on Thursday evening, citing security circles, 64 percent of those arrested came from Afghanistan, 19 percent came from Pakistan, 5 percent from Turkey and 4 percent of the people stated Syria as their home country.

According to the information, around 37,000 border crossings along the Evros border river have been prevented since Saturday; however, how the Greek border officials calculate these figures is not known.

Meanwhile, the Turkish Minister of the Interior, Süleyman Soylu, announced that more migrants would be allowed to move to Europe (see also 6:34 p.m.). The doors would also open for the people in need in the Syrian crisis region of Idlib, "and ultimately everyone will make their way to Europe, " said Soylu. Thousands have been waiting on the border with Greece since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced on Saturday that they would open the borders to migrants to the EU.

Syria conflict: Putin and Erdogan agree - Turkish interior minister warns EU

Update at 18:34: Turkey and Russia have agreed on a new ceasefire in the Syrian rebel stronghold Idlib . They will come at midnight on the night of Friday into force, Turkey's Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting with Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin in Moscow. Putin said that after about six hours, a joint document had emerged that would serve to implement the ceasefire.

A ceasefire is already in effect in Idlib. In recent weeks, however, the Syrian military has continued to advance in the area with Russian support. Hundreds of thousands of people are currently fleeing the Syrian and Russian attacks on the Turkish border.

Turkish President Erdogan visits Moscow

Turkey did not rule out opening its southern border with Syria to refugees from Idlib on Thursday. You could then get further into the EU, warned Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu. "3.5 million people in Idlib and at the Turkish borders are currently in need."

Russia is the protective power of the Syrian government in the civil war. Turkey supports rebels in the region, including Islamist groups.

Turkey crisis: survey among German citizens shows majority for border opening

Update at 6.10 p.m .: According to a survey, a majority of Germans are open to the Greek-Turkish border for refugees - if they are then distributed to the EU countries. 57 percent of respondents in the ARD "Germany Trend" are in favor of this, while 41 percent tend to disagree, as the WDR announced on Thursday.

Citizens are divided on whether Germany should lead by example when it comes to accepting refugees. According to the "Germany trend", 48 percent say that countries like Germany and France should accept refugees, even if other EU countries oppose it. However, 49 percent disagree with this statement.

The supporters of the Greens (75 percent), the SPD (71 percent) and the Left (60 percent) are in favor of this. The majority are against the supporters of the AfD (95 percent) and the FDP (69 percent). A split picture emerges when one looks at the Union supporters : 49 percent are in favor of admission by countries such as Germany and France, 46 percent against.

For the survey, Infratest dimap interviewed 1002 randomly selected people by phone on Monday and Tuesday this week.

Drama on the Greek border: half a billion for Turkey? EU says

Update at 16.02 clock: The EU Commission wants to defuse the conflict with Turkey with new financial aid for refugees. As the AFP news agency learned on Thursday from EU circles, the agency plans to provide another half a billion euros for the 3.7 million Syrian refugees in Turkey . The money is said to flow in addition to the six billion euros that Ankara was promised in a refugee agreement concluded in 2016.

The billions from the refugee pact are a permanent issue in the EU's relationship with Turkey. Ankara regularly accuses Europeans of paying the money out too slowly.

According to current figures from the EU Commission, 4.7 billion euros of the six billion euros have so far been allocated to specific projects. 3.2 billion euros have been paid out . So far, the Commission has anticipated that another billion euros will flow this year. The rest of the plans are to follow by 2025 at the latest.

At a current hour in the Bundestag, Minister of State Niels Annen (SPD) from the Federal Foreign Office pointed out that most of the promised six billion euros had been spent on Turkey or planned. "And we need the appropriate money for central projects," he said. At the same time, he called for Ankara to meet its obligations with the EU. Based on their own experience, no other country has as much understanding for the difficult situation in which Turkey receives refugees as Germany. "But we won't be blackmailed either."

Erdogan sends 1000 "to the border

Update at 1:47 p.m .: The military escalations in Idlib , which are partly responsible for the current influx of refugees on the Greek-Turkish border, are the subject of a conversation today between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish colleague Recep Tayyip Erdogan . The meeting has started. At the start in Moscow, Putin expressed regret at the death of dozens of Turkish soldiers in Idlib .

It was not until Thursday night that at least 15 civilians were killed in Russian airstrikes, activists say. The Syrian Human Rights Observatory said that a child was also killed. In the past weeks and months, Turkish soldiers have also been repeatedly killed in Syria.

Turkey / Greece: Erdogan sued MPs for criticism of Syria policy

Erdogan has meanwhile sued the MPs of the largest opposition party, CHP, Engin Özkoc, for one million Turkish lira (around 150,000 euros) in damages after he sharply criticized the Turkish president's Syrian policy . The official reason for the lawsuit is, according to the state news agency Anadolu, "excessive and unqualified" statements. In addition, it was investigated for insulting the president . A fistfight broke out in parliament on Wednesday because of Özkoc's statements.

Update at 12.45 p.m .: Turkey believes the opening of its border with Syria to refugees from the crisis region of Idlib is possible in view of the escalation in the country. The refugees could then continue to enter the EU, said Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu on Thursday. " 3.5 million people in Idlib and at the Turkish borders are currently in need, " said Soylu. The inhuman behavior of the regime there means the following: the doors there would also open and ultimately everyone would make their way to Europe . The Turkish Interior Minister added: "This is not a threat or blackmail."

Turkey sends 1,000 additional police officers to the Greek-Turkish border

Update at 11.33 a.m .: In view of the extremely tense situation at the border crossing to Greece, Turkey is sending 1000 additional police officers to the Greek-Turkish border . Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu said according to information from the AFP news agency . The country wants to "prevent" the Greek government from "pushing back" refugees who are trying to cross the Evros border river, Soylu said on a visit to the border area on Thursday. The police officers are fully equipped special forces .

Migrants and forces on the Greek-Turkish border.

Turkey can hope for more support from Germany - but Maas also makes demands

Update at 10.36 a.m .: The situation on the Greek-Turkish border is still tense , but calm. Shortly after the border fence, many people were gathered on Turkish soil. In the morning, a Turkish police helicopter flew over the border area from the Turkish side into the Greek area at a height of around 30 meters. There he remained in the air for several seconds and then turned off again, reported a dpa reporter on site.

The federal government has meanwhile announced that it wants to help Turkey more . "It is clear to us that the EU must continue to provide financial support to Turkey's efforts to accept refugees and migrants , " said Foreign Minister Heiko Maas on Thursday before his departure for an EU Foreign Ministers meeting in Zagreb. "Because Turkey is the largest receiving country of refugees worldwide, and a fair burden sharing is also in our interest. But our expectations are just as clear that Turkey will in turn adhere to the EU-Turkey declaration, ”Maas also said.

Maas also announced on Thursday morning that Germany is offering the UN an additional 100 million euros to accommodate and care for people in need in the province of Idlib .

Update at 8.26 a.m .: More than 42,000 migrants are currently waiting on the islands of Lesbos, Chios, Samos, Leros and Kos off the Greek coast. In the port of the island of Lesbos there is now a Greek Navy ship, which, according to the coast guard, took in more than 500 people. They had arrived after March 1st and are to be deported. Meanwhile, the island of Lesbos has been in a state of emergency for some time * and is no longer recognizable.

Turkey: Erdogan and Putin want to discuss the situation in Syria

Meanwhile, on Thursday night, Israeli fighter jets attacked targets in Syria, reports from the state media in Damascus. In the process, unspecified targets in the provinces of Homs and Kuneitra were attacked. In the midst of the ongoing military escalation in Syria, Russian President Vladimir Putin wants to discuss the situation with the Turkish head of state Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday and look for measures to prevent the situation from worsening. Before this meeting, the German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas (SPD) once again called for an immediate ceasefire . He announced this on Thursday before his departure for the EU Foreign Ministers' meeting in Zagreb.

Also read the commentary by Merkur editor Marcus Mäckler on Germany's approach to the Syria crisis.

Update of March 5, 2020, 7.30 a.m .: After a shocking video surfaced on Wednesday that the Greek coast guard is under strain , the crisis on the Greek-Turkish border continues. At the Evros border river, early Thursday morning, crowds of people were observed on the Turkish side at the Kastanies border crossing. According to reports by the State Broadcasting Corporation (ERT), the security authorities expected a new rush of desperate people who want to go from Turkey to Greece and thus to the EU .

Turkey / Greece: Athens wants to accommodate all new migrants in deportation camps

In the meantime, Athens reaffirmed that all migrants who have been illegally coming to Greece since March 1 will be housed in closed detention centers . These people cannot apply for asylum, it was said. "They are expelled from there to their countries," said Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis on Wednesday evening on Greek television. He also announced that the first location near the northern Greek city of Serres should be built.

Turkey: Inhuman Video Reveals Action by Greek Coast Guard

Initial report of 4 March 2020: Bodrum - The Greek coast guard charged a shocking video that spread quickly on the Internet. The picture shows a refugee boat that is not only pushed away by the coast guard, but also attacked .

First you can see how the boat is struggling with the waves, the occupants are probably on their way from Turkey to Greece. The video reveals inhumane scenes from the crisis region: a crew member of the coast guard boat hits the refugees with a stick and tries to push the boat off. Another crew member appears to be shooting in the air and later towards the water; it is unclear whether the boat was hit.

Barbaric & unlawful behavior by Greece - as boat full of desperate refugees, men, women & children are rammed by Greek Coastguard, hit & shot at #CivilisedDemocracy? Pic.twitter.com/AyA2k3Pcec

- Aamer Anwar✊ (@AamerAnwar) March 2, 2020

According to information from BILD (article behind payment barrier), there have been several attempts to push refugee boats back . The newspaper also reports that 70 percent of Coast Guard officials reject this work and orders. A Coast Guard official reported that he himself faked the flu when he received the order to use all means to defend the border. Many others felt the same way.

Turkey: Greek government issues orders - and has to resort to special forces

Another officer no longer dares on deck in such operations since he experienced traumatic events. The Greek coast guard officer has been taking psychiatric drugs since 2015, as he tells the picture. About five years ago, he saw a ship with several children sink into the sea: “I don't even want to see it. Sometimes I even cover my ears with my hands, ”he now tells the paper.

The psychological strain on the normal officers of the coast guard is probably the reason why special units were requested. The Greek government is guilty, and issued the order not to let anyone cross the border.

The video, which was probably recorded on Monday morning, was probably shot off the Turkish coast near Bodrum. Turkish President Erdogan threatens to break the refugee pact if he is not guaranteed support. In northern Syria, the situation is now deteriorating, so the federal government has promised an aid package.

* Merkur.de is part of the nationwide Ippen-Digital editors network.

Source: merkur

All news articles on 2020-03-05