Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Tuesday morning visited the Kipi border post on the Evros (Maritsa) River, which marks the frontier with Turkey in the Thrace province, some 72 hours after official Ankara made good on its threats to allow any and all third country nationals in the country “free passage” to attempt to enter Greece, and by extension, the European Union.
Kipi is further to the south of the Kastanies border post, which is the focal point of efforts by thousands of third country nationals, mostly from Afghanistan, but also from the Middle East, North Africa and the Horn of Africa, to breach the border and enter Greece in an attempt to reach preferred destinations in central and western Europe.
“…we’re here, from Evros, to send a message: Greece will not be blackmailed by anyone who wants to exploit people in despair in order to serve his own purposes,” he said, adding that his government has full confidence in the Greek armed forces and police to do their duty and guard the border.
