Greece to extend fence along Turkish border

ATHENS

Greece plans to lengthen its fence along the Meriç River on the Turkish border by an additional five kilometers, a senior Greek official has confirmed.

This extension is part of Athens’ broader effort to strengthen border security against illegal migration, which has decreased in recent months, Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis during a visit to the region.

He emphasized that the project aims to “seal critical gaps” in the country’s border defenses, referring to it as a “key deterrent measure.”

Supporting this strategy, new statistics indicated a significant drop in unauthorized crossings. Arrests for illegal border entries in the Meriç region declined by almost 26 percent in the first seven months of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, falling from 3,421 to 2,518, according to the Greek official.

Türkiye shares approximately 200 kilometers of border with Greece, mainly separated by the Meriç River.

Over the years, both countries and neighboring Bulgaria have taken extensive measures to reinforce their borders.

Greece initially erected 3-meter-high barbed wire fences over 11 kilometers of the Meriç border in 2012, later tripling the length. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis pledged to extend the barrier to more than 100 kilometers by 2026.

Meanwhile, on the Turkish side, the governor of Edirne province revealed plans in March to construct an 8.5-kilometer (5.2-mile) wall along Türkiye’s western border with Greece.

Governor Yunus Sezer announced at that time that this will be Türkiye’s first physical security barrier on its western frontier and while the initial phase covers 8.5 kilometers, there is potential for future expansions depending on developments.

Beside land routes, the western Turkish coast also remains a critical departure point for migrants attempting to reach the Greek islands. Tragic incidents have occurred, including a recent case in February when six migrants drowned and 27 were saved after their boat began sinking near Türkiye’s western shore.