A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Good evening Minister! So, there is an extreme provocative behaviour on the part of the official Turkish authorities. On one hand, the military and police forces in Evros with a hail of teargas in the Greek territory and on the other hand, the Turkish side now quite openly helping refugees / immigrants to enter our country at least. And I would like to ask you straightforward: what we are experiencing in Evros lately is it going to go on?
A. STEFANIS: The estimation is that yes. First of all, good evening and thank you very much for inviting me; good evening to your viewers too. Erdogan has a plan; the plan that he implemented on the following day, if not at the same night when he was having the unfortunate operations in Idlib; wishing to cover in a way the casualties, the one hundred dead and injured that he had. He immediately changed the plan and he presented it. The plan is being implemented with the participation of more than four ministries involved in this situation, considering the he may forward the public opinion, but also the pressure to us and to Europe.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Minister, are you afraid that this could lead to an escalation? Should we be concerned in the following 24 hours?
A. STEFANIS: Allow me to say one thing. Our Armed Forces are not afraid; and personally I am not afraid. We are analyzing the situation, we are assessing and planning. After analyzing the situation, we believe that pressure will go on and based on our planning, we are planning our next moves.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Do you believe that what we experienced during the last four days, because there was a pause yesterday, may be the first phase of a plan and the second phase of the plan may be even more aggressive on the part of Turkey?
A. STEFANIS: The estimation is that Erdogan follows a specific plan. I believe that he was surprised by our response. Our response was very strong, determined and demonstrated the Government’s intention to protect its borders; which has not always been the case so far. It was done differently and in a totally different manner. We affirm loudly that there are borders; we are protecting our borders. That certainly surprised the Turkish authorities and the estimation is that he will go on either by pressing us in the area of Evros or transferring the pressure to the Aegean islands.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: I would like to ask you something. Are you afraid that what happened in Evros may also happen in the border islands?
A. STEFANIS: We are not afraid; excuse me for repeating myself, but we are not afraid.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Are you concerned? Are you taking or thinking of taking any preventive measures?
A. STEFANIS: We are not concerned. We are assessing, monitoring and planning accordingly. We are expecting pressure in the Aegean islands; we have totally changed the logic of our operations there. Our logic consists in an aggressive surveillance on a daily basis. I would like to convey to you information that is being formed during the last couple of days and demonstrates a totally different change in our attitude. A little while ago you showed acts of prevention of illegal entry in Evros. As we speak, acts of prevention are being carried out at sea. Boats carrying immigrants are trying to cross the sea and we stop them and send them back. It is a new day that demonstrates the Government’s determination to keep up with its plan.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Are you examining any additional measures for the islands?
A. STEFANIS: We are analyzing the situation and we check what we can improve. Over the last few hours, we have planned the transfer of forces, the Armed Forces and the security forces, to the islands. At the same time, the forces are being reinforced with new boats. Two boats reached the area of Magisti group of islands in Kastelorizo and two other boats will go to the area of Symi from the entire width, the entire pool of our capacities, both from the Hellenic Navy and the Coast Guard. And also, with the participation of the Special Forces.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Returning to the subject of Evros, because as is apparent from the reportage we saw that there were movements; they are thinking of being taken to new passages in order to try to entry the country, do you examine the possibility of additional fortifications in the region?
A. STEFANIS: There is a lot going on in the region. The fence is being reinforced; the fence is being extended. We are closing any passages that we have assessed, examined and checked that this is where they want to enter the country. There are also patrols with dogs, drones, UAVs; there are two helicopters in the Northern sector and two helicopters in the Southern one. Information is collected in an inter-service center, where it is analyzed and assessed, and there are also reserve forces ready to intervene when the need occurs.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Minister, thank you very much for your presence at the news.
A. STEFANIS: Before we go, please allow me to say something. Actually two things; I would like to stress two things. The first one is that we should congratulate the members involved in this procedure. The Armed Forces and the Security Forces do an excellent job. We, as Greeks, should rely on and feel proud of their work. And the second thing is that this crisis revealed something. It revealed once again the genuine love of Greek people for the country and that is what we get from all levels of our country. Children, aged people, women, young people state on a daily basis that they are willing to serve the country, each one in his or her own way, and that is very important, very positive. Please be assured that our plan will succeed with determination. Thank you.
A. PARASKEVOPOULOU: Let us thank you.
