Erdogan angry with Greece on migrant issue
Turkey's President Erdoğan said, Greece is pushing migrants and political asylum seekers to death. The country's authorities have turned the Aegean Sea into a graveyard for migrants.
On Tuesday (September 20), the Turkish president strongly criticized Greece's immigration policy in his speech at the UN General Assembly session.
Every year, thousands of people migrate to Europe to seek political asylum in the hope of starting a new life. Most of these people are either fleeing war and persecution, or are on the way to escape hunger and poverty. And Turkey has become the main transit for these people.
But there are allegations, while trying to cross the turbulent waves of the Mediterranean Sea and the Aegean Sea to enter Europe, these migrants and refugees are being tortured and returned by Greece.
Sometimes they are shot dead in the sea. According to the Turkish government, around 41,000 migrants have been pushed to their deaths at sea by Greek coastguard police over the past two years. And these people have been rescued and sheltered by Turkey.
Turkish President Erdoğan also spoke about the issue at the UN General Assembly session on Tuesday (September 20). He criticized Greece for its persecution of migrants in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.
"While we are struggling to save children like Aylan Kurdi from dying, Greece is turning the Aegean Sea into a refugee graveyard by illegally and recklessly pushing them to their deaths," he said.
Erdoğan said the refugee crisis cannot be solved by putting innocent people in concentration camps or sinking boats in the sea. Europe and the United Nations must stop this atrocity, which amounts to a crime against humanity, now.
Last Monday (September 19), the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly began in New York, USA. Due to the corona epidemic, the heads of state and government of different countries of the world have joined this global conference for the first time after almost three years.
However, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are not attending the session due to special reasons. Ministers are representing them in the session instead.
