PM Mitsotakis addresses signing event for Evros border fence extension

Constructing the Evros border fence, which the government expects to help prevent the influx of irregular migrants, is “a national demand,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis at Poros, near the border town of Feres on Friday.

The Greek premier was attending an event to sign the contract for the fence’s extension by 35km from its current length of 37.5km, from Psathades to Kornofolia, with a budget of 99.2 million euros.

The Greek government estimates that the current fence prevented the illegal entry of some 260,000 migrants in 2022.

Mitsotakis promised that the fence, made of galvanized steel metal railing measuring five meters high and six meters underground, will be extended to cover the entire 140km length of the Greece’s land border with Türkiye.

Eventually, the fence will also feature seven overhead anti-ballistic observatories with armored cabins.

The prime minister also mentioned the recent improvement of Greek-Turkish relations as a “welcome positive step,” but condemned incidents in the recent past which he said were characterized by the neighboring country’s attempts to instrumentalize migrants and refugees.

Ahead of Greece’s May 21 national elections, Mitsotakis also called on main opposition party Syriza-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras to clarify his position on the overall issue of the fence.

The fence extension contract was signed by Citizen Protection Minister Takis Theodorikakos, TERNA construction company appointed advisor Alexandros Michailidis, and Vice President & CEO of Intrakat Group, Alexandros Exarchou.

The event was also attended by Asylum & Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi.