A 38-year-old Turkish national, identified as a municipal worker from the border city of Edirne, on Thursday was sentenced by a first instance court in northeast Greece to five months jail time and a 1,500-euro fine for illegally entering the country.
It was still not clear at press time whether the sentence is suspended. He will remain incarcerated until deportation. The man’s lawyer filed an appeal.
Based on reports citing a military patrol in the Kastanies border region, the municipal worker was operating a JCB-type heavy vehicle on Wednesday when he entered Greek territory.
In his testimony, the man said he was clearing a field for the placement of a water pipe, and that he crossed over the border by mistake, given that it was the first time he had worked at the specific site.
Conversely, members of the Greek military patrol testified that he ignored warnings to stay away from the border and passed into Greek territory at least three times with the vehicle.
