Turkey’s policy of extreme provocations against Greece continues unabated, as the Turkish authorities refused entry to Apostolos Tzizikostas, the governor of the region of central Macedonia who is in Smyrna(Izmir) in the capacity of vice-president of the committee of regions and president of the Euro-Mediterranean Commission ARLEM.

Mr. Tzitzikostas arrived at 10:00 at the port of Smyrna by ship from Thessaloniki, in order to participate as chairman in the Euro-Mediterranean Summit of the European Commission of Regional Governors.

Then the Turkish authorities informed him that he cannot disembark, without however giving him a clear answer. Tzitzikostas informed the Greek government about the incident, as well as the Prime Minister’s office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while he considered the ban on his entry a great insult.

He has informed the diplomatic service of the EU, the Greek ambassador in Ankara Christodoulos Lazaris, as well as the consul in Smyrna, Argyro Papoulia.

According to what has become known, he is trapped on the ship for at least seven hours while he is expected to return to Thessaloniki.

The Euro-Mediterranean Commission

The European-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly (ARLEM) was established to encourage the cooperation of local governments in the northern and southern parts of the Mediterranean.

It consists of 80 members and 2 observers from 43 EU and Mediterranean countries. Forty members of the Assembly are nominated by the Mediterranean partners and forty by the European Union. ARLEM members are elected officials of regional or local authorities.