Turkey evacuates 5,800 asylum seekers from Greek border

ISTANBUL

Turkey’s interior minister on Friday said 5,800 asylum seekers near the Greek border have been evacuated as part of measures to curb the spread of coronavirus.

In an interview to Turkish news channel NTV, Suleyman Soylu said: “After the risk of contamination passes, we won’t say no to anyone who wants to go back to the Pazarkule border gate.”

Soylu said that those asylum seekers are being hosted in repatriation centers in nine provinces.

Thousands of asylum seekers had camped at Turkey's border with Greece after Ankara said in late February it will no longer stop them from going to Europe, accusing the EU of not keep its part of a 2016 refugee deal.

Speaking on measures against coronavirus, Soylu said Turkey has temporarily closed 211,670 workplaces, making arrangements for staff to work from home.

He added that inter-city bus travel will be subject to permission.

Moreover, weekend visits to picnic sites, beaches and parks have been banned as of Friday.

Turkey has so far reported 92 deaths from coronavirus, and confirmed 5,698 cases.