Statement of the Government Spokesman, Stelios Petsas regarding decisions of the Government Council of National Security

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In the last few days, Greece faces a sudden, massive, organized and coordinated pressure due to the movement of populations at its eastern land and sea borders.

This movement is directed and encouraged by Turkey. These actions are happening in breach of the obligations arising from the Common Declaration between the EU and Turkey.

Turkey, instead of curbing the traffickers’ channels of migrants and refugees, has itself turned into a trafficker.

People gathered at Greece’s border are forcibly attempting to enter Greek territory, despite the fact that it has been made clear by the Greek side that absolutely no cross over is allowed.

Due to its coordinated and massive nature, this relocation of people has nothing to do with international law regarding the right of asylum, which concerns only individual cases.

Under these circumstances, the present situation is being an active, serious, unusual and asymmetric threat to the country’s national security.

People gathered at the border are being manipulated as pawns in Turkey’s game to exert diplomatic pressure.

Greece unequivocally exercises its sovereign right and constitutional obligation to protect its integrity.

For these reasons, the National Security Council, in its meeting today, decided the following:

1. The upgrading, at the highest degree, of the security measures at the eastern, land and sea borders of the country by the public security and the armed forces to prevent illegal entries into the country.

2. The temporary suspension, for one month from the date of receipt of this Decision, of the lodging of asylum by those entering the country illegally.

3. The immediate return, where possible, to the country of origin without registration, of those who enter illegally the Greek territory.

4. The submitting of a request to FRONTEX for the development of the RABIT team aiming at guarding the country’s external borders, which are also the European Union’s borders.

5. The immediate notification of this Decision to the Council of Ministers of Foreign Affairs of the European Union and the initiation of the procedure referred to in Article 78 paragraph 3 of the Treaty of the European Union to take provisional measures in favor of the Hellenic Republic in response to an emergency situation because of the unusual influx of third country nationals, within the context of solidarity between the Member States of the European Union.

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