Ankara: 100,000 migrants crossed the Turkish border from Edirne to the EU

Nearly 100,000 migrants have crossed the Turkish border from the northern westernmost province of Edirne to Greece and Bulgaria since Friday, Turkey’s Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu told Daily Sabah newspaper. The Greek Police and army used smoke grenades, tear gas and water cannons to repel hundreds of migrants who tried to force their way through the border. The spokesperson of the Greek cabinet called the situation an active, serious, severe and asymmetrical threat for the national security of the country and accused Turkey for using the migrant crowds as pawns to exert diplomatic pressure. Greece has temporarily suspended the asylum application procedures.

 78 migrants hidden in cargo vehicle detained on North-Macedonia-Greece border

On March 1, the Police in North Macedonia found 78 migrants from the Middle East and Africa hidden in a cargo vehicle near the border with Greece. 41 of the detained are nationals of Pakistan, 26 are citizens of Afghanistan, 5 are Syrian citizens, 4 are nationals of Egypt and 2 are Turkish citizens. Last Thursday, the Police detained 40 illegal migrants in a mini-van near the Greek border. North Macedonia’s authorities are firmly committed to oppose the flow of illegal migrants from Syria through Turkey.

Turkey holds new military operation in Idlib

An operation of the Turkish forces named Spring Shield has been carried out in the Syrian province of Idlib since February 27, Turkey’s Minister of Defense Halusi Akar announced. So far, one drone, 8 helicopters, 103 tanks, 72 howitzers and 3 missile systems, as well as 2,212 soldiers of the Syrian President Bashar Assad have been destroyed. We don’t intend to confront Russia. Our only aim there is to stop massacre by the regime, prevent migration and stop the flow of blood, Minister Akar said.

Serbia to open embassy in Jerusalem

Serbia will soon open an official diplomatic mission in Jerusalem, this country’s President Aleksandar Vucic announced, quoted by RIA Novosti. In a speech to the AIPAC Policy Conference in Washington, President Vucic said the following: “We are going to open very soon not only an office of our chamber of commerce, but together with our chamber of commerce, an official state office in Jerusalem with a Serbian national flag alongside our embassy in Tel Aviv”. That is our way of showing respect to the Jewish people as well, President Vucic further said.

Kosovo’s President and Premier in dispute over tariffs on Serbian goods

Kosovo’s President Hashim Thaci called this country’s Premier Albin Kurti “stiff-necked” in his Facebook profile and accused him that by refusing to lift the 100% tariff on Serbian goods he was leading his country to isolation and was deteriorating this country’s relations with the USA. Let us remind that recently, Premier Kurti announced that Kosovo would partially lift custom tariffs for Serbian goods (for the raw materials first) on March 15 as a sign of good will and later in April this country will lift custom tariffs for the rest of the items, if Serbia shows signs of good will as well. This condition caused negative reaction of the U.S Special Envoy for Kosovo and Serbia Richard Grenell who called Kosovo’s move “half-way measures”.

Compiled by: Stoimen Pavlov

English version: Kostadin Atanasov