Thousands of people are moving to Greece after Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that they are opening the border on their part.
Why is this happening right now?
- Because of the developments in Idlib in Syria and the national tragedy when more than 30 soldiers were killed there. This has triggered a situation where Turkey feels cramped in a corner and is putting pressure on the EU to get support in Idlib, says Thomas Thorén.
What kind of support does Turkey want?
- Turkey wants primarily military support from NATO and the West, and this is a requirement that they will find it difficult to hear.
- Then it is about the refugee issue where Erdogan is in a squeezed situation purely domestic politics because it is a major dissatisfaction among the Turkish population. It is also about Turkey not being satisfied with the refugee agreement made with the EU and how it worked, says Thomas Thorén.
How can this develop?
- It is difficult to say at the present time, but everything indicates that more and more people who are on the run are trying to reach the border. Greece has reacted very strongly and everything indicates that the situation may escalate.
"The refugees who are in Turkey and who have reached the border are now determined to try to get past," says Thomas Thorén.