By Lenos Skitinis *
The immigration problem today is a scourge of our time with many recipients, while making Erdogan responsible and "godfather" of terrorism. At the same time, Germany, and consequently Merkel, is turning its back on Erdogan. As it is known, all these years Turkey has been receiving weapons and money from Germany, which it uses both in the war with Syria and to feed the Islamist terrorists.
The result of all the above actions, in recent days, is that there are thousands of immigrants on the Greek-Turkish border, who are illegally trying to enter Greece. In addition, hundreds of migrants are trying to enter either by land via roadblocks or by sea with inflatable boats on the territory of the Republic of Cyprus.
Erdogan has a significant share of responsibility for the ongoing bloodshed in Syria, with millions of people being displaced from their homes and their homeland and families being uprooted. Turkey does not hesitate to use refugees as a lever of pressure and a threat. He boldly blackmails the European Union into supporting Erdogan's bloody policy.
At least more than 10,000 people have been deceived by the Turkish government and, with false information, are being transported by bus or inflatable boats illegally to Greece and Cyprus. Erdogan does not hesitate to use even scary images, such as children behind tear gas or people in unstable inflatable boats. Its purpose is to stigmatize the Greek government as responsible for the drama of the refugees.
In addition, with its expansionist policy, Erdogan is trying to alter the demographic character of Greece and Cyprus with the ultimate goal of achieving the annexation of Cyprus to Turkey and gradually some islands in Greece.
The Cypriot government must denounce the Turkish stance but also the states that support Erdogan's policy, the European Union and the UN. These institutions should condemn Turkey's expansionist policy and all those who support it, imposing economic sanctions. The European Union is called upon to actively support the Republic of Cyprus in all areas. In addition, the Republic of Cyprus should take more measures to protect our borders, both from the sea and from roadblocks, and to strengthen the National Guard with live material and modern weapons.
* Leninos Skitinis, Vice President of the Citizens' Alliance