The Greek Minister of Health, Adonis Georgiadis, caused new tension between Turkey and Greece, BGNES reported.
On Sunday, Georgiadis infuriated officials in Ankara by claiming that "one night Greece could go to Turkey with F-35 fighter jets." "One night you will suddenly find them in Ankara. I'm not saying that we will actually do it, but Turkey should know that it has nothing of aviation (Greece's capabilities)," he added. According to the Greek media, he also said that there would be either dialogue or "war" between Turkey and Greece.
Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Güler publicly mocked Georgiadis' threats, calling him a "tourist". "He is welcome to visit Turkey as a tourist. About 60 million tourists visit Turkey every year. We expect him on a tourist visit," Defense Minister Yasar Güler also stated in Ankara before the parliamentary session of the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also weighed in on the exchange of "threats" between the two countries. At a parliamentary meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party, Erdogan said Ankara was not seeking tension with its neighbours.
“We would never refuse a handshake. "Every time I hear 'suddenly, one night,' I laugh," he added.
Erdogan also condemned the "populist" remarks by Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias, who called the Turks "invaders", as "attempts to undermine" bilateral relations and said: "I told (Missotakis) there will be no remarks that annoy each party, and he said he shared the same opinion." "To call the Turks 'invaders' is an immoral, tactless expression. Mr. Mitsotakis must put this minister of his in his place," Erdogan said.
BGNES recalls that Erdogan used the expression "suddenly one night" as a response to the repeated violations of Turkish territorial waters in the Aegean Sea and the military show of force by Greece in the past. He toned down his rhetoric during talks with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, although he often emphasized that any provocative step by Greece would be met with an appropriate response. | BGNES
