Ankara continues its provocations, this time through the Turkish Minister of Defense Hulusi Akar, who called on Greece not to “put on airs by relying on third countries”.
In today’s statements, Akar reiterated that Ankara is open to dialogue with Athens but this does not constitute weakness, while he accused our country of being the one that increases the tension in Greek-Turkish relations.
“We always submit our proposals for dialogue with Greece and we expect Greece to abandon its actions and rhetoric that increase tension,” he said, repeating that Turkey will not accept it as a fait accompli. At the same time, he called on the Greek government to “listen to those politicians who warn” about the consequences.
“Don’t get carried away by the words of others”
“Despite all the mistakes that were made, we believe that they will be resolved with patience and peaceful methods” said Akar, to add, addressing Greece: “Make up your mind, don’t take up airs from the words of others.”
And he continued: “Our call for dialogue is not weakness on our part. We say we will claim our rights. Don’t lift your feet off the ground because of some statements. We will not allow faits accomplis. Collect your brains. Some politicians use the friction between us. There are futile attempts at armaments. There are some politicians in Greece who see all this and warn. We tell the Greeks to listen to them. Let’s share the wealth of the Aegean fairly. Turkey is not a threat, Turkey is a strong ally.”
At the same time, regarding the Cyprus issue, he made it clear that Ankara remains unmoved on the two-state solution. “The Turkish Cypriots are our brothers. Cyprus is our national cause. So there is no question of making concessions there,” Akar said.
Barrage of provocations
It is recalled that Erdogan’s “right-hand man”, the representative of the Turkish presidency, Ibrahim Kalin, went so far as to threaten Athens with “consequences” if it insists on “arming the islands”.
“From the beginning, we were in favor of dialogue. It was the Greek side that ended the talks in 2016. It was the Greek side that led to the failure of the negotiations,” Kalin said, adding that Greece “has no chance of gaining power on its own. It can only do this by relying on lobbying in either the EU or the US.”
“We are NATO allies, we share the same geography. We face similar challenges. We don’t need to fight,” Kalin pointedly added, “The equipping of the islands is a matter recorded in the Lausanne Agreement and the Paris Agreement. Every such action has consequences. You cannot corner Turkey with rhetoric that increases tension.”
Latest News
Developing the Blue Carbon Economy in Greece
Can Greece make money by protecting its marine environment?
EIB Appoints Greece’s Ioannis Tsakiris as New VP
Ioannis Tsakiris started the new role May 1 after spending 15 years at the European Investment Fund (EIF) and serving as Greece’s Deputy Minister for Development and Investments
Two Greek Beaches in Top 50 in the World
Both Greek beaches were on the list of the best beaches in Europe too
Eurostat: Greece 20th out of 26 European States in Hourly Average Wage
According to figures released by Eurostat, the Benelux Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, one of Europe’s hubs for finance, is in first place
Greek Property Renovation Surge amid Economic Constraints
This has led to a notable escalation in renovation costs, with average prices per square meter exceeding previous norms and reaching even 1,000 euros in premium locations
RRF: Additional €5.1bln Funds for Subsidies to Greece in 2025
By April 22, funds totaling 5.75 billion euros had been transferred for approved projects of the Recovery Fund to entities within and outside the general government and final recipients
OECD: Greek Economy Resilient with 2% Growth Forecast for 2024
However, the OECD highlights challenges including the need to enhance productivity and fiscal adjustment due to high debt levels.
Challenges and Delays in Greece’s Hydrocarbon Exploration
Sources disclose that the petroleum companies holding the concessions are seeking partners to jointly invest and share the costs of exploration and drilling.
Greek Beach Visitors Can Report Violations on New ‘MyCoast’ App
Greek authorities hope the newly-launched, free ‘MyCoast’ app will help clamp down on public beach violations
BoG Figures Confirm Banner Year for Greek Tourism in 2023
20.6 billion euros in related revenues topped the previous year’s figure by 16.5%