Economist political and Brexit editor John Peet expressed heightened concern over the path followed by Turkey until the May 14 general election in the neighboring country, addressing an Athens audience on Friday.
Peet spoke in the wake of a particularly critical cover story focusing on Turkey in the recent Economist issue, media scrutiny that generated frayed nerves and a backlash in Ankara by the Erdogan government and its allies.
The high-ranking Economist editor cited what he called a pivot by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan towards authoritarianism, replete with attempts to jail political opponents, Internet censorship and intimating journalists. He added that the risk this year is for an overt move towards an autocracy or dictatorship, regardless of how one calls it.
Peet said developments in Turkey are now creating issues for the entire region’s foreign policy, underlining that although Turkey is a NATO member it is becoming less and less friendly to the West – “in fact, in the case of Ukraine, it’s supporting Russia more, instead of the West.”
Touching on a thorny issue affecting Greece and the region, he also assessed that Erdogan appears uninterested in solving the Cyprus issue.
Moreover, he referred to the AKP government’s menacing rhetoric towards Greece, warning that any open conflict between two NATO member-states would be a “nightmare scenario”.
He spoke at the Economist’s gala dinner in Athens.
Latest News
Lavrio Port Authority Next Up for Privatization
A deadline for the submission of expressions of interest is May 14, 2024
Eurostat: Greece Records Largest Drop in Natural Gas Prices in 2nd Half of 2023
The price of electricity and natural gas in Europe was down following a substantial surge that began before the Russian invasion of Ukraine and peaked in 2022
GEK TERNA Still Considers Leveraging Concessions Portfolio as Financial Tool
President and CEO of Gek Terna George Peristeris explained the company's plans on Tuesday on the sidelines of the inauguration of sections of Greece's E65 highway
NielsenIQ: 3% Supermarket Revenue Increase in Q1
Private label products are gaining traction, comprising 25.4% of shopping basket shares, up from 24.7%
Store Hours Change Today in Observation of Orthodox Easter
The President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce hopes the Easter period will provide a much-needed boost to retail traffic in the capital
Athens-area Mass Transit Systems Set to Finally Install Contact-less Fare Payment
Paying fares via bank cards, smartphones and smartwatches in all mass transit systems in the Greek capital, namely, buses, trolleys, the metro and tram lines, is scheduled by the end of the year
Council of State Rejects Motion Against Thessaloniki Motorway Project
The motion was filed earlier this month by three local citizens’ and environmental groups and generated a high court decision for a temporary stay in construction
Greek 30Y Bond Issue Oversubscribed by 11 Times
Very high demand pushed down the coupon's interest rate to 4.125%
Athens Int’l Airport Wins Top Prize at Routes Europe Awards
The Routes business is focused entirely on aviation route development and the company's portfolio includes events, media and online businesses
IOBE: Income Gap Between Poor and Wealthy Greeks Widens
The findings in the analysis, entitled “Progressivity in Income Taxation in Greece, 2012-2021", paint a bleak picture for Greeks in the bottom half of the income bracket, warning that income inequality is growing