Greece’s relevant migration policy minister on Monday pointed to international migrant smuggling rings operating outside a Thessaloniki-area “hotspot” as behind last week’s rumors that the Greek border with North Macedonia was open to third country nationals trying to leave the country.
Hundreds of third country nationals, mostly Middle East asylum-seekers who entered Greece from neighboring Turkey over recent years and months, exited the former Diavata military camp and headed for the Idomeni border post, while hundreds of people in the Athens area rushed to the central train station to buy tickets for European destinations, mostly Germany. A stand-off with riot police in both locations ensued, with the groups finally being persuaded to return to shelters.
In comments to an Athens-radio station on Monday, Minister Dimitris Vitsas said the refugees/migrants/asylum seekers hosted at Diavata fell victims to a disinformation campaign.
Vitsas referred to “…international networks, crime gangs,” while adding: “Searching for clues on the Internet we’ll find a service, possibly on another continent… 350 traffickers were arrested (in Greece) in 2018… from all over the world.”
Many of the third country nationals received SMS messages from a sender claiming to represent a NGO announced that the Greek border will be opened for transit without travel documents and visas.
