“An unprecedented increase in the tension and provocative behavior on the part of Turkey,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexandros Papaioannou said in a regular briefing to diplomatic correspondents.
As he pointed out, in one day, last Wednesday we had 168 airspace violations and 42 overflights above Greek territory and residential areas on several islands in the eastern Aegean (Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, etc.).
“The numbers speak for themselves”, he noted and stated that this is a record, as the previous largest number of overflights of Turkish aircraft over Greek territory (23 in total) had taken place in 2020, when there was an escalation of Turkish delinquent behavior.
“At this critical and difficult time for Europe and NATO, Turkey’s behavior violates fundamental rules of international law, but also affects the cohesion of NATO,” Papaioannou said.
He noted that this attitude is contrary to the climate of good neighborliness that Greece is trying to create and said that Greece is “always in favor of good relations with Turkey, on the basis of international law.”
“Here we are talking about a clear violation of Greek sovereignty, which can not go unanswered, and that is why two consecutive diplomatic complains were issued within two days by the Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Turkish ambassador,” he said.
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He also stated that the Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, had several contacts with ambassadors in Athens and underlined this situation, while briefings were made at the UN, the EU and NATO and Athens’ dissatisfaction was conveyed.
The Foreign Ministry spokesman pointed out that the goal is to reduce the tension and that was the message conveyed to partners and allies.
He stressed that Turkey’s behavior is “condemnable and unacceptable”, especially when it comes to a time when all the attention of the international community is focused on Ukraine.
Mr. Papaioannou noted that the issue of increased tensions on the part of Turkey is self-evident that will be raised during the Prime Minister’s visit to Washington and in the contacts he will have there on May 16 and 17.
