The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Greek-turkish border clashes over migrants
Clashes erupted on the Greekturkish border as migrants attempted to push through into Greece, meanwhile the European Union’s foreign ministers held an emergency meeting to discuss the situation on the border and in Syria, where Turkish troops are fighting.
Greek authorities used tear gas and a water cannon to repulse an attempt by migrants to push through the border from Turkey in the morning, while Turkish authorities fired volleys of tear gas on to the Greek side of the frontier.
Thousands of refugees and other migrants have been trying to get into Greece through the country’s eastern land and sea borders over the past week, after Turkey declared its previously guarded borders with Europe were open.
Turkey has said it is deploying 1,000 special forces police on its side of the border to prevent Greek authorities from pushing back migrants who manage to cross into Greece.
Many have been camping out on the Turkish side, hoping to cross despite Greek insistence that its border is closed.
Reporters were being kept away from the border area on the Turkish side, but saw at least one bus full of people leaving the area yesterday morning.
It was unclear where the bus was headed.
After months of threats, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has now said his country will no longer be the gatekeeper for Europe.
He has demanded Europe shoulder more of the burden of caring for refugees, although the EU insists it is abiding by a deal in which it payed billions of euros for care in return for Turkey keeping the refugees on its soil.
His decision and its aftermath have alarmed governments in Europe, which is still seeing political fallout from mass migration that started five years ago.
Mr Erdogan’s move came amid a Syrian government offensive in the north-western Idlib province, where Turkish troops are fighting.