The Greek government plans to build a 206 kilometer (around 128 mile) long fence on the Turkish border to keep out various illegal immigrants They already have full detention camps, according to a German human rights organization.
A Deutsche Welle article states that: "Greek society has reached its limits in taking in illegal immigrants," (Citizen Protection Minister) Papoutsis told Athens News Agency. "Greece can't take it anymore."
Greece's 206-kilometer (128-mile) border with Turkey is the most common entry point for illegal immigrants to the European Union from Afghanistan, Algeria, Iraq, Pakistan and Somalia.
In October, Greece became the first country to request intervention by the EU's Frontex external border-patrol agency, which was created in 2007. Greece received 200 Frontex agents in November, driving the number of illegal immigrant arrests down from 250 to 140 daily."
Papoutsis said the land barrier would be like the one erected by the United States along parts of its border with Mexico."
The article goes on to state that "currently an estimated 300,000 people living illegally" in the European Union.
AOL News is also claiming that due to political pressure the fence will be only eight miles long near the town of Orestiada. One wonders how long it will take the border crossers to figure out to go where the fence isn't to make their crossing into Greece. After all, they already traveled hundreds, if not thousands of miles to get to the Turkish-Greek border. The Greek government, for its part can use border guards, dogs and other techniques such as electronic sensors but avoid the image (to liberals, image is everything) of using a long fence. This Greek drama will have a long run.
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