Türkiye dismisses EU’s criticism of Erdoğan’s Greece remarks

The statements made by the Czech Foreign Ministry and some other EU institutions regarding Türkiye in the capacity of the EU Term President on the issue of Greece have "no meaning and value" for Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgiç said.

"The EU's unquestioning support of Greece in the Aegean and Mediterranean conflicts on the grounds of membership solidarity is against both the EU's own acquis and international law," he said in a written statement on Sept. 6.

"This attitude, which pampers Greece, encourages non-solution, not solution, and supports Greece's pursuit of maximalist demands," he added.

It is a "complete disgrace" that those who made these statements ignore Greece's "violations, harassment and threats" against Türkiye, its "provocative actions and rhetoric, and remain indifferent to its actions and practices against international law," Bilgiç noted.

If the Czech Presidency or the EU want to promote dialogue, the Türkiye-EU relations should essentially be spared the "abuse of the narrow-minded" Greek/Cypriot veto, which undermines EU solidarity and common interests, the spokesperson said.

Türkiye will continue to resolutely protect its legitimate rights and interests in the Aegean and Mediterranean, Bilgiç noted.

The EU has voiced concern over what it called "hostile remarks" after President Tayyip Erdoğan accused Greece of occupying demilitarized islands in the Aegean and said Türkiye was ready to "do what is necessary" when the time came.

These remarks "raise serious concerns and fully contradict much needed de-escalation efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean," Peter Stano, spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, said in a statement late on Sept. 5.

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