Greece and Turkey clash over refugees in anticipation of easing pandemic

Greece fears another clash on the Turkish border after the Turkish Foreign Minister announced that migrants and refugees will return to the border when isolation due to coronavirus ends in both countries, writes The Guardian in Greece fears border standoff with Turkey over migrants’ return writes that speaking on the air of a local television channel in Antalya, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said: “Because of the pandemic, the migrants’ movement slowed down, but they definitely want to leave the country after the end of isolation.”

Greece and Turkey clash over refugees in anticipation of easing pandemic
epa08258607 Refugees shout in direction Greek side of the border at the closed-off Turkish-Greek border, Edirne, Turkey, 29 February 2020. The Turkish government announced its decision to no longer stop refugees from reaching Europe after 33 Turkish soldiers were killed in Idlib, Syria on 27 February. EPA-EFE/ERDEM SAHIN

The politician’s statement was alarming in Athens, where analysts are increasingly worried about a recurrence of the crisis that erupted earlier this year when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the doors to Europe are open and migrants can freely enter Greece. After an almost three-month hiatus, Greek authorities reported that last week several boats with men, women and children landed on the shores of Lesbos. About 37,000 asylum seekers live in crowded camps.