Greek government spokesperson Stelios Petsas sent a stern message to Ankara, stressing that “Ankara’s illegal and provocative moves have gone too far” and clarifying that Greece “is not being led by the nose, terrorized and blackmailed.”
In detail, he pointed out that the provocation “was initiated last November with the signing of the illegal and non-existent Libya–Turkey memorandum. These moves continued to incite a mass invasion of persecuted people in Evros.
They become even provocative to the civilized world with the conversion of the Hagia Sophia and — later — the Chora Church into mosques. They culminated with the departure of Oruç Reis and of units of the Turkish fleet within the borders of the Greek continental shelf and were extended with the renewal of illegal navigational text messages.
During this period, the Turkish leadership unleashes almost daily threats of war and engages in provocative references against Greece. We respond with political, diplomatic and operational readiness, and we are determined to do whatever is necessary to protect our sovereign rights.”