“When the Turkish police officers typed my name into the computers, there was a commotion.” The chronicle of the Turkish provocation in Smyrna.
Convinced that his seven-hour detention in Izmir was not a technicality, but an artificial error, in the context of the barrage of Turkish provocations, the Regional Governor of Central Macedonia told SKAI Apostolos Tzizikostaswarning that in Turkey the deep state has become too strong, and the country is sliding to the brink, probably of no return.
The chronicle of the Turkish provocation in Smyrna
“A month ago we inaugurated a new ferry connection between Thessaloniki and Izmir, I chose to go with this ship to Izmir for this meeting that would take place, the Euro-Mediterranean, a very important meeting of a European official institution, which I would preside over. As soon as the ship arrived in Izmir, and after the reception of the local authorities, of which I was an invitee, this problem arose during the passport control” explained Mr. Tzitzikostas.
“The assembly has been known for a year. The municipality of Smyrna, responsible for this year’s event, invited us. In my European capacity I would preside. I had visited Turkey in the past, and the name had been announced in the flyers for the event. It is not a municipality event, others of an official European institution, this makes a difference,” said the regional governor when asked if the Turkish authorities knew him.
“When the Turkish police officers typed my name into the computers disturbance was created. They started speaking Turkish to each other, making phone calls, you realize that after three minutes I asked the officials of the municipality who had come to welcome me, and they told me: ‘don’t worry, Mr. President, obviously there has been a mistake’.
However, then it came out that there is a ban on my entry into Turkey, I was told, the people from the municipality were in a very difficult position, no doubt, and they took me to a room in an office, of the Turkish police in the port of Izmir until they were given explanations. The consul general of Greece in Smyrna was with me (…)”.
“When I saw that the Turks did not intend to give me an explanation, I contacted the prime minister, the foreign minister, the EU and its relevant agencies, the ambassadors of Greece and the EU in Ankara, and they started phone calls and pressure.”
I remained, continued Mr. Tzitzikostas, seven hours between office and shipwhen the Turks announced to me that the ban would be lifted… There was no way I could stay in Turkey, I had made up my mind.
“I wanted to leave at the same time, I had no way, the ship was leaving in the next 24 hours, there are no flights from Izmir, I did not want to fly through Istanbul, and also until the ban was lifted I could not leave the port area.”
“There is no mistake”
As Apostolos Tzitzikostas emphasized in his decision to leave, in a mission abroad we do not represent ourselves abroad, but the Greeks, and I will not accept any insult at the expense of any Greek, ever. For me, the dignity of Greeks is non-negotiable.
“There is no mistake or synonym… They underestimate our intelligence and convince no one… This is not a technical error, it was an artificial error. In the context of the challenges was this incident, it seems that in Turkey the deep state has become much stronger in recent years, there is a slippage in the extremes of Turkey, I am afraid there is no return this road, road which deepens the gap between Turkey and the EU» said Apostolos Tzizikostas. This time they personified it, and even to an official who was visiting the country, he noted, not with his Greek, but with his European identity.
However, he clarified that “the mayor of Istanbul Mr. Imamoglou and the mayor of Smyrna stood by my side, their attitude is indeed remarkable, they contacted me to express their anger and sorrow”.
No reason has been given, he observed, why there was a ban on me. In this context, he asked to concern not only Greece, but also the EU, the strengthening of the deep state in Turkey.
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As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
