Greece denies Turkiye’s claim that it pushed migrants into Turkish territory

The Greek Coast Guard has denied allegations by the Turkish Defence Ministry on Monday that it had pushed back migrants off the island of Lesbos into Turkish territory, Reuters has reported.

Earlier, the ministry uploaded a drone video on X showing a Greek Coast Guard operation, pointing out that a Greek vessel pushes a boat carrying migrants off the north of Lesbos island and into Turkish territorial waters.

“Our coast guard command was informed immediately and the immigrants in question were rescued by our boat that arrived in the area,” said the Turkish Defence Ministry.

“This is in no way a pushback,” responded s senior Greek Coast Guard official. “It is detection and prevention of illegal entry into Greek territorial waters.”

Greece is one of the gateways into the European Union for refugees and migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa. It has been accused by aid groups of forcibly ejecting migrants at its sea and land borders, also known as “pushbacks”, an illegal practice.

Turkiye and Greece are NATO allies, but have long been at odds over issues including where their continental shelves start and end; energy resources; flights over the Aegean Sea, and the ethnically partitioned island of Cyprus. The latest incident comes two days after the 50th anniversary of Turkiye’s invasion of part of the island after a brief Greek-inspired coup. Greek Cypriots want reunification as a federation, whereas Turkish Cypriots want a two-state settlement.

The situation remains an emotional trigger for both countries, frustrating Ankara’s ambitions of joining the European Union, and hindering energy potential in the east Mediterranean because of overlapping territorial claims. In 2023, the two neighbours agreed to revamp their relationship, establishing a roadmap to usher in a new era of closer ties.

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