“Turkey has recently been systematically trying to reverse reality and is violating the agreement with the European Union. It is Turkey that tolerates the actions of unscrupulous circles, which endanger the lives of thousands of unhappy people,” the Minister of Shipping and the Aegean, Yiannis Plakiotakis, said to ERT and the show “Connections”.
Referring to Turkey’s aggressive rhetoric on the occasion of what Tayyip Erdogan said at the UN, Mr. Plakiotakis wondered how many traffickers Turkey has arrested and how many migrant trafficking rings it has arrested.
“The Minister of Foreign Affairs has given the appropriate answer and the position of the Prime Minister is expected on Friday from the floor of the UN General Assembly” said Mr. Plakiotakis adding that “our country is doing the obvious. It acts in accordance with international law, with respect for human rights, with respect for human life.”
According to what was revealed on the show “Connections” by the Minister of Shipping, who spoke of increased operational readiness, in the last two years the port force has saved more than 6,000 of our immigrants in 145 search and rescue operations.
Asked about the allegations of violence and pushbacks by the Hellenic Coast Guard, Mr. Plakiotakis stated that “instead of Turkey accusing us of pushbacks in the Aegean, what is worth mentioning is that finally someone should deal with the push forward from the Turkey. And as the minister added on the subject, “Turkey systematically implements immigration projects”.
On the other hand, as he said, “the executives, the men and women of the corps, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year act boldly with determination for this and it has impressive results, not only in the management of immigration, but also in dismantling drug smuggling rings. It ensures the smooth operation of coastal shipping. It protects the marine environment and this is due to the very good strategy, the integrated planning from the leadership of the Coast Guard to the last coast guard. The Corps continues and delivers lessons in humanity and human rights.”
Asked about how the coast guard reacts when it detects a boat with illegal immigrants, the minister clarified that it informs the Turkish coast guard, stressing that the primary concern is to protect the maritime borders, which are also the maritime borders of the European Union.
