Thousands of migrants have gathered at Turkey’s border with Greece, after the Turkish government last week allowed their passage to Europe, saying it had “reached its capacity.”
Violence erupted as migrants threw rocks and other objects at police officers on Sunday. The Greek army and police patrols used tear gas and stun grenades to stop attempts by the refugees to enter the country.
Turkey’s communications chief said the country had not received enough support in hosting Syrian refugees. The country’s decision reverses a 2016 EU-Turkey deal aiming to cut the numbers of migrants entering Europe.
The decision follows an airstrike by Russian-backed Syrian forces in Syria’s Idlib last week, killing 33 Turkish soldiers. Analysts believe Turkey’s decision aims to force the EU and NATO to support its military operation in Idlib.
After the announcement, some of the 3.6 million Syrians currently living in the country under the 2016 deal with the EU, began to move quickly towards Greece.
Greece said it blocked 9,972 “illegal entrances” from reaching the northeastern Evros region over the past 24 hours. Statements followed by several EU officials, who pledged their support to Greece and praised the country for protecting the European borders. The chiefs of European institutions will visit the Greek-Turkish border of Evros along with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday.
Despite the chaos in Greece, Bulgaria said that no migrants had illegally crossed the southern border into Bulgaria. Bulgarian defense minister Krasimir Karakachanov said on Sunday that the country’s PM Boyko Borissov was scheduled to meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to discuss Syria and the wave of migration coming from Turkey.
Clashes erupt as Turkey allows thousands of migrants to head for Greece
EPA-EFE/ORESTIS PANAGIOTOU
Riot policemen try to disperse asylum seekers while they demonstrate outside the Moria refugees camp on Lesvos island, Greece, on 02 March 2020. The protesters ask to let them go free to their destination. Meanwhile, thousands of refugees and migrants have gathered on the Turkish side of the border with Greece with the intent to cross into the European Union following the Turkish government's decision to loosen controls on migrant flows after the death of 33 Turkish soldiers killed in an attack in Idlib, Syria on 27 February.
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