schema:articleBody
| - The EU's chief diplomat on Wednesday visited the Greek-Turkish border as Athens warned of a fresh migration surge allegedly encouraged by Ankara. "Today, following a brief respite due to the (coronavirus) pandemic, Turkey has once again declared that its land borders to Europe are open," Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said after accompanying EU foreign affairs high representative Josep Borrell to the border. "At the same time, its coastguard escorts boats laden with migrants to the Greek islands." "But it also persists in undermining security and stability, as well as peace, in the Eastern Mediterranean," Dendias charged. Borrell was also scheduled to see Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Athens later in the day. The Evros border area was the scene of clashes in March after Turkey said it would no longer prevent asylum-seekers from reaching the European Union. Thousands of people quickly gathered in the border area or took makeshift rafts to Greek islands, seeking to cross from Turkey to the EU. For days, there were skirmishes on the border as asylum seekers tried to break through, throwing stones at Greek riot police who fired tear gas back. The leaders of the EU's three institutions -- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Council President Charles Michel and Parliament President David Sassoli -- also visited the area at the time. jph/wai
|