The Greek government wants to completely seal off the border with Turkey in the north-east of the country against migrants. The existing 35-kilometer border fence is to be extended by 80 kilometers, Migration Minister Notis Mitarakis told Skai on Sunday. This secures all those regions that could otherwise be passed on foot.
The background is the current high tensions between Athens and Ankara. The two NATO members argue about natural gas, sovereign territories and many other issues. Most recently, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis no longer existed for him and thus cut off the conversation.
There is outrage in Turkey over a visit by the Greek prime minister to Washington last week. There Mitsotakis had recommended to the US Congress not to sell any armaments in the eastern Mediterranean. What was meant was Turkey, which is trying to buy US F-16 fighter jets. Mitsotakis referred to the increasing number of illegal overflights by Turkish fighter jets over inhabited Greek territory.
