Greece and Turkey at odds over migrant crisis

The migrant crisis is a global phenomenon that has been affecting countries for years now. It has been a topic of continuous debate and discussion. The countries in the European Union have been the primary recipients of this crisis and have been struggling to find solutions to this problem. Greece and Turkey have been at odds over the migrant crisis for a long time now, and the situation doesn’t seem to be getting any better.

Greece, being a part of the European Union, has been receiving an incredibly high number of migrants, especially from the Middle East and Africa. In 2015, the number of migrants crossing from Turkey to Greece increased dramatically, leading to a significant crisis, with thousands of people arriving each day. In response, the European Union, with the help of Greece, set up “hotspots” for the migrants to be registered, processed, and distributed across the continent. However, despite the efforts made by the European Union, the influx of migrants continued to increase, causing severe unrest in Greece.

On the other hand, Turkey has been hosting the most significant number of refugees in the world since the Syrian civil war started. It is estimated that there are around 3.6 million Syrian refugees in Turkey, with about 250,000 of them in refugee camps along the Turkish-Syrian border. Due to its strategic location, Turkey has become a transit country for migrants fleeing from war-torn countries in the Middle East and Africa, trying to reach Europe.

The increased flow of migrants into Turkey has caused a strain on its resources and economy, leading to social unrest in the country. To tackle this issue, Turkey proposed a deal to the European Union to manage the flow of migrants. The deal included Turkey agreeing to take back all migrants who reached Greece illegally, in exchange for receiving €6 billion in aid and visas for Turkish citizens to enter Europe. This deal was put in place in 2016, but it has been a contentious issue between Greece and Turkey.

The relationship between Greece and Turkey has always been fragile, with historical and territorial disputes causing tension between the two countries. The migrant crisis has only exacerbated this situation. In February 2020, Turkey announced that it would no longer prevent refugees from reaching Europe, leading to a surge of migrants crossing from Turkey to the Greek islands. This move by Turkey has been seen as a way to put pressure on the European Union to provide more aid and support to Turkey.

Greece has responded by strengthening its border security and stopping the migrants from entering the country. This has resulted in violent clashes between the Greek authorities and the migrants. The situation has been condemned by human rights groups and has sparked a heated debate across Europe.

In conclusion, the migrant crisis has caused considerable strain on the relations between Greece and Turkey. The issue needs a comprehensive solution that is beneficial to both countries and the migrants. The burden of the crisis needs to be shared by all countries in the European Union and beyond. Until then, the situation is likely to remain tense, with Greece and Turkey at odds over the migrant crisis.