Halit Habip Oğlu: “We request from the Greek authorities to allow controlled crossings through all the border gates in Western Thrace and to refrain from decisions which would negatively affect the economy of the region.”
The mayors of Eastern-Macedonia and Thrace region of Greece took joint decisions with respect to border crossings at a meeting which was conducted via videoconference on 6 July 2020. The mayors requested for all border gates of Greece with Bulgaria to be opened and to close the Kipi-İpsala border gate at the border with Turkey to Greek citizens except in special circumstances.
The Mayors of Arriana (Kozlubekir), Iasmos (Yassıköy) and Myki (Mustafçova) who are members of the Turkish community in Western Thrace said in their statements that closing the border gates is not the right decision and that it will have a very negative impact on the region’s economy.
While all airports in Greece have opened to international flights since 1 July 2020, direct flights from the UK, Turkey and Sweden are not allowed until 15 July. On the land border with Bulgaria, only crossings through the Promachonas border crossing in the Serres region are allowed while the Nimfea (Yanıköy)-Makaza border gate in Western Thrace has been closed by the government until 15 July.
“While our country closes the border gates in Western Thrace on Greece’s land border with Bulgaria, the decision to allow crossings through the border gate in the Serres region clearly shows a double standard towards the region. The request of the Union of Municipalities of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace to close the Kipi-İpsala border gate to crossings will exacerbate the economy of the region, which has already experienced a very difficult time due to the coronavirus pandemic. We request from the Greek authorities to allow controlled crossings and to refrain from decisions which would negatively affect the economy of the region by taking the necessary health measures regarding the virus at all of the border gates in Western Thrace”, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
