Maritsa

The border post at Ipsala (called Kipi on the Greek side) on the Turkish side reopened late Wednesday after being closed for maintenance and upgrade work since Wednesday morning.

Wednesday's closing of the Turkish border post created long queues of vehicles and trucks on both sides of the border.

Greek authorities fired tear gas and stun grenades to drive away a crowd of migrants making a push to cross the border from Turkey on Wednesday, as pressure on Greece continued after Turkey declared its previously guarded gateways to Europe open.

The European Commission presented on Wednesday a six-point action plan to support Greece for border policing, that includes financial aid and beefing up Frontex patrols in the Aegean and Evros, the northeastern border with Turkey.

Greek army and police patrols have used tear gas and stun grenades in an attempt to stop thousands of refugees pouring into the country.

Greece would on Monday conduct military exercises using real ammunition near the Evros land border with Turkey.
The exercises, set to take place at border outposts at Kipoi and Kastanies, were announced Sunday by the Fourth Army Corps, which is charged with defending the Greek-Turkish borders in Thrace and the Aegean Sea.

A semi-aquatic, rat-like creature has been spotted in Turkey's northwestern province of Edirne far from its native South America.

Farmers in Edirne complain that coypu, considered an invasive species, have come to the region through the Maritsa and Tundzha rivers when Bulgarian officials opened reservoir gates due to flooding risk.

Greek security authorities and intelligence services are on high alert due to concerns that Turkey may try to deport European citizens suspected of being involved in Islamist terrorist networks through Greece.

There can be no doubt that we are confronted with a new refugee crisis.

That is the view of Greek authorities which are closely monitoring migrant flows toward the Greek islands from the Turkish coasts but also at the Evros boarder crossing.

Heavy rain poured down in Pazardzhik earlier this afternoon, it was accompanied by thunder and wind, Focus Radio Pazardzhik reported. Deep puddles had formed in the streets, hindering the traffic, which was more intense close to the city limits.

11 foreigners were arrested on the Maritsa motorway, near Svilengrad. They were without personal documents and went to Bulgaria from Greece through a "green" border in the region of the village of Mezek.

The 36-year-old driver, who was had to transport the people to the interior of the country, was also detained for 72 hours by a decree of the monitoring prosecutor.