Turkish FM Fidan provokes Greece: They use us for cheap politics, whenever they are in trouble, Dendias' statement emerges - Athens' response

We do not accept suggestions from anyone, is the response of Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis to the provocative statements of the Turkish Foreign Minister.

Among others, the Turkish Foreign Minister, Hakan Fidan, spoke on the domestic political scene in Greece, speaking in an interview with the TGRT HABER television network.

The Turkish Foreign Minister described the issues concerning Turkey as a “political aspirin” for Greek politicians, noting that they use them whenever they face difficulties. At the same time, he accused them of resorting to “cheap politics”, strengthening “anti-Turkish sentiment” in Greek society, which – as he said – “opens the door to crises that can create geostrategic costs” for Greece.

In detail, what Hakan Fidan said:

"Unfortunately, in the domestic politics of Greece, issues related to Turkey are the first issues that determine the agenda. They are like political aspirin. If you have a problem, then bring up Turkey, the Mediterranean, the Aegean. The theory of conditioned response has been created. Political conditioned response has been created. You know, this brought the Nobel Prize to Pavlov in 1914. With the hearing of Turkey, this conditioned response within the political scene of Greece is an issue that must be resolved in Greek politics.

We hope that Greek politics can also reach the maturity and self-confidence of Turkish politics and discuss the issues more easily. We do not hesitate to engage in polemics with them, we do not hesitate to answer them. On every issue. But we know what they have done, with which players, what they went to do, how they tried in the past to besiege Turkey. We saw this, we took our measures and we continue.

I advise them to stop the anti-Turkish sentiment. This fear does not benefit them. It leads them to panic. When they have a problem, a statement by Dendias always appears. They constantly show people a Turkish threat. They are not essentially saying “elect me over what is opposite”. This is a cheap policy. They are doing such a cheap policy, but they should not open the door to crises that can create geostrategic costs, costs for their own state. For the small personal benefit, political and strategic consequences can arise that the people and their state themselves will pay for.”

Athens’ response

“Greece has neither phobic syndromes, nor is it defined in relation to Turkey. And we do not accept suggestions from anyone. We understand the tension that Greece’s strong and active foreign policy can cause. Let everyone become familiar with this reality and let them not turn embarrassment into hostility. Good neighborly relations, which Greece has always sought, are not promoted by immoderate and untimely statements,” the statement by Greek Foreign Minister Gerapetritis states.

Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis also commented on Fidan’s provocative statements in an interview with the Open television station. “Greece is a sovereign sovereign state, it will not accept suggestions, it respects international law, it seeks to talk to everyone, but it will never put issues of sovereignty in the balance. The policy of dialogue without retreat has brought Greece to a point of essentially strengthening itself and it will continue to do so,” he stated characteristically.