Indicative of the priority given by the Ministry of Citizen Protection and the government to the armouring of Evros is according to the Minister, Yannis Economou, his presence in Alexandroupolis today as a member of the government team that visited the border prefecture.
Strengthening human resources
«We are going through a very difficult summer with many open issues of public order and security in both the narrow and broader sense. In this context Evros, its inhabitants have suffered a lot, they are being tested with the fires and migration which are the major problems. We are here to state once again that our priority is to shield this region as the front line of our borders...».
Presenting the planning of further armouring, Mr.Economou said that they are in Evros for the announcement and planning of the necessary corrections and adjustments to the existing planning as a new picture has been formed after the fires but also due to the continuous ingenuity of the criminal networks of traffickers with whom, as he stressed, «we are and will continue to be in constant war». He noted that «on the part of the Ministry of Citizen Protection , the Greek Police plans to activate our presence in all the necessary places. It is planned to strengthen human resources by increasing the number of secondments of Greek Police officers who will come to Evros. At the same time, we have initiated and secured for four years funds and recruitment of 100 border guards for Rhodope and 50 for the prefecture of Kavala, which we will make every effort so that the tendering procedures will start as soon as possible.
He explained that «redesign means to re-evaluate our automated systems, to modernize them. It means strengthening the technological infrastructure and in the medium term, not in a very long time horizon from now, using the financial tools we have, but also more directly with supplies of lower cost but high added value...We are here to face the ingenuity of criminal networks that use new methods, harder, wilder and more dangerous for society, such as those you have experienced in a tragic way here in Alexandroupolis on the Egnatia Odos.’ He spoke of clear instructions and an operational plan for deterrence and pursuit as long as it does not pose any risks, using technological means after consultation and the opinion of the prosecuting authorities and, of course, in consultation with the concessionaire and for the provision of more permanent technological infrastructure beyond that available to the Greek Police. The Minister of Citizen Protection made special reference to the preventive immobilization of vehicles coming to Evros and Thrace in order to transport people who have entered the country illegally. »Several thousand such preventive immobilizations have already taken place, we will activate and improve cooperation between our services to be even more effective,’ he said.
Mr. Economou said that the implementation, the development, the dynamic adjustment of these announcements today «is under the close monitoring and supervision of both the Hellenic Police Headquarters and the political leadership. I and my colleagues will have a regular presence in Evros and Thrace to monitor the fight against illegal immigration and the criminal activity of smugglers and the implementation of what we have discussed, agreed with the Greek Police officers and announced here today.».
Regarding «the rumours, the associations, the thoughts, the thoughts, the logics that concern each and every one of us and the local community as a whole about the causes of the fires...» he said that «The Greek Police to the extent of its capabilities and other security services are doing what needs to be done. To exhaust every tool and means at their disposal in order to get any answers there may be to questions that citizens have. Until then, however, we must all be careful and calm with confidence in the Greek justice system because this is what our political responsibility and our patriotic duty requires.» Finally, he spoke of naive behavior of some who, on the occasion of the recent hard test in Thrace, attempt to discredit the work of the Greek Police in its entirety and to substitute it. «They are committing great damage to the homeland,» he said, adding that Greece is a European rule of law, a coordinated state and any reaction is determined by the state with its institutions. «The Greek Police, the Greek security authorities have the priority of protecting Evros. We understand the anguish of the citizens, we understand that their confidence has been injured in terms of the feeling of security, but we are here in a coordinated manner without devaluing, without nullifying a great work... intensifying our presence, applying the laws of a coordinated state to fully shield the region and stand by the side of society, to re-inspire the feeling of security and protection that the region needs.’.
L. Papadimitriou
