Greek officials are contacting Turkish counterparts to seek ways to counter the surge in irregular migration over the Meriç (Evros) River, which divides the two countries.
Defense Minister Alkiviades Stephanis spoke on a call Wednesday with Turkish counterpart Yaşar Güler, officials in Athens said, a day after the foreign ministers of the two countries also spoke. Güler and other members of the new Turkish government were appointed following the recent reelection victory of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Patrols along the Evros River on the Greek side of the border have been intensified following a recent drop in the water level that makes migrant crossings easier.
The two NATO members have a number of longstanding disputes, including sea boundaries in the eastern Mediterranean and efforts to curb illegal migration to the European Union.
Haralambos Lalousis, the Greek public order minister, said he didn't believe that Türkiye was behind the latest spike in migrant crossings.
“No, I don’t think it is Turkey,” Lalousis said Tuesday on the eve of a tour of border areas.
Lalousis, a former Greek army chief and commander of forces based in the border region said the armed forces were assisting patrols by the police.
Greece has long been the first destination for illegal immigrants setting out on a journey to Europe via Türkiye, including Syrians or nationals of remote Asian countries.
In recent years, dozens of migrants who entered the country with the hope of seeking asylum were found bruised and beaten near the Turkish border and claimed they were illegally deported back to Türkiye. "Pushback" is an illegal practice under international conventions and Greece never acknowledged whether its security forces were involved in pushing back the migrants or not.
