Evros-testimony: “The Turks transported us, we would not come to Greece”
For a year, the 38 migrants allegedly lived in Turkey without intending to come to Greece, until the moment they were arrested by the Turkish authorities. They complained that their they were taken to a detention center in Edirne and from there to the Turkish bank of the Evros River where traffickers awaited them. They were transported by boat to the islet within Turkish territory. Indicative, the testimony of 27-year-old Bayda from Syria, who appears to be one of the 9 women.
“The Turks pushed us to a second island. They threw many there. They split us up like we were a football team. Between two sides. Between Greece and Turkey. Nobody wanted us. No one was listening to us. No one wanted to help us“, says Baida.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Ankara of using immigration as a tool to exert pressure on the Greek-Turkish border while waiting for the Greek authorities to react.
“The recent incident concerning the promotion of asylum seekers from Turkey to Greece on the Evros is yet another attempt by Turkey to instrumentalize the migrant-refugee issue and possibly create a border issue at the same time,” reports the Foreign Ministry.
“The Turks organized and deliberately leave them in the middle of the river so that Greece can come outside the fence to take them and bring them into the country,” said the Minister of Immigration and Asylum. Notis Mitarakis.
Speaking to ERT, the general secretary of asylum seekers Manos Logothetis, spoke of an attempted diplomatic episode.
“It is being done through people and other organizations with messages, emails, etc., that there are people on this island, whose main goal is to pressure the Greek authorities to carry out a search and rescue on an island, which for Turkey and for us is in Turkish territory and in this sense to create a diplomatic episode”, revealed Mr. Logothetis.
A severe attack on the government was launched by A. Tsipras.
“They rule with lies, controlled information and illegal surveillance. But then the border could not be “monitored”, the official opposition leader said.
The government accuses its president of orchestrating a tragedy SYRIZA.
“Mr. Tsipras bases his non-existent claims on alleged right-wingers and on the propaganda spread by foreign forces,” commented the government representative. Giannis Oikonomou.
“If Mr. Tsipras wants to open the borders of Greece and let anyone freely without control as in his days, he should say so directly,” emphasized the Minister of Citizen Protection. Takis Theodorikakos.
“The government of the Turkaegean and Oruch Raets, which has almost reached Salamis, is the last that can give lessons in patriotism,” answered SYRIZA.
Circles of the Ministry of Citizen Protection noted:
“In its desperation, SYRIZA calls far-right politics the truth and reality and turns into a mouthpiece for slave traders and the neighboring country’s regime.”
“The ND-SYRIZA rigged confrontation over immigration is now infuriating every Greek”, notes the Greek solution.
The issue of sovereignty over the islet in Evros is brought to Parliament by SYRIZA with a related question, noting that it appears to be registered in the National Land Register, which, as he points out, is in contrast to the data of the Army Geographical Service.
Turkish traffickers: How they operate – The “tariff” per migrant
We are talking about networks of traffickers characterized as Lernaean hydra with many of the leaders to be, as has been established by the Greek authorities, in Turkey and with the operational arms taking over the process of moving immigrants to our country.
They are constantly looking for new ways and ways to mislead the authorities.
The price list varies depending on the trip, the medium and the destination, from 3,000 to 10,000 euros.
Reporting: Katia Niakari