Turkey claimed that it allowed more than 75 thousand migrants to cross its borders towards the European Union.
Today, Sunday at 10:00 am, Turkish Interior Minister Suleiman Soylu said on Twitter, 76,358 migrants crossed the border from Edirne Governorate.
In the province of Edirne, there are border crossings for the European Union countries Greece and Bulgaria, but neither country has announced the arrival of so many immigrants.
The Greek Ministry of Immigration reported today, Sunday, that the police have so far prevented 9,600 migrants from crossing the border and entering the country. Athens also reinforced its units from the border. According to the Greek government, patrols were strengthened in the straits between the Greek islands and the Turkish coast on the Aegean Sea.
The semi-official "ANAMPA" agency, quoting the coast guard, said that 220 immigrants arrived on the island of Lesbos this morning.
In Sofia, the Bulgarian government said that no migrants crossed the border illegally on Sunday.
"At that moment, the situation is calm," Bulgarian Defense Minister Krasimir Karakachanov said in an interview with state television today. He added Bulgaria´s policy should stipulate that illegal immigrants are not allowed in.
Bulgaria has already strengthened its forces on the land border, which reaches a length of 259 km with Turkey, on Friday, with members of the gendarmerie forces. Karakachanov said that about 1,100 soldiers could be sent to the Turkish border if necessary.
He pointed out that Bulgaria´s outer borders are well protected through barbed wire and thermal cameras.
The minister confirmed that Prime Minister Boyko Borisov will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to discuss the situation in Syria and the problem of migrants, and the minister did not mention the location of the meeting.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced yesterday that his country will keep its doors open to refugees wishing to go to Europe, stressing that Turkey has no energy to absorb a new wave of immigration.
Fakhruddin Alton, head of the communications department in the Turkish presidency, said that his country, which hosts 3.6 million Syrians, "has no other choice but to reduce its efforts to contain the pressure of the refugee flow, after the military escalation in the Idlib province of Syria."
Turkey stepped up its stance after 36 of its soldiers were killed and dozens wounded in air strikes in northwestern Syria last Thursday.
