Greece to Expand Border Fence as Migration Crossings Decline
Athens — Greece has announced plans to extend its border fence along the Meriç River (Evros River) by an additional five kilometers, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen border security and curb illegal migration.
Minister for Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis confirmed the expansion during a visit to the region, describing the project as a “key deterrent measure” intended to close critical gaps in the border defenses.
The move comes amid a decline in unauthorized border crossings. Arrests for illegal entry in the Meriç region dropped nearly 26 percent in the first seven months of 2025, falling from 3,421 in 2024 to 2,518 this year, according to official data.
Greece first built an 11-kilometer-long, 3-meter-high barbed-wire fence along the Meriç in 2012. That length was later tripled, and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has pledged to expand it to over 100 kilometers by 2026.
Türkiye, which shares approximately 200 kilometers of border with Greece, is also reinforcing its side. In March, Edirne Province Governor Yunus Sezer announced construction of an 8.5-kilometer wall—Türkiye’s first physical barrier along this frontier. He noted that future extensions are possible depending on developments.
While both countries tighten land security, the Aegean Sea remains a key route for migrants attempting to reach Greek islands. In February, six migrants drowned and 27 were rescued after their boat sank off Türkiye’s western coast.
Though Greek and Turkish authorities frame these barriers as essential for national security, rights groups continue to call for more humane, coordinated responses to Europe’s ongoing migration crisis.
