Turkey is planning to construct an 8.5-kilometer wall along its western border with Greece to limit illegal migration into EU countries, according to AFP.
Previously, Turkey had already erected barriers along its borders with Iran and Syria. As stated by the governor of Edirne province, Yunus Sezer, this year marks the first time physical security measures will be implemented on the country’s western border. According to him, the initial plan is to build an 8.5-kilometer wall, but its length may be extended in the future.
The total length of Turkey’s border with Greece is 200 kilometers. In 2012, Greece built two barbed-wire fences, each three meters high, along an 11-kilometer section of the border, which had previously been mined. Later, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged to extend the barrier by more than 100 kilometers by 2026.
Turkey’s western coast remains a key departure point for migrants seeking to reach Greek islands. According to the European border agency Frontex, overall migration pressure on the EU decreased in 2024, although the number of arrivals via the Atlantic route continued to rise.
Meanwhile, international humanitarian and human rights organizations have repeatedly accused Greek authorities of illegally deporting migrants, secretly pushing them back into Turkish waters.
