For ruthlessly exploiting sensitive national issues for political gains SYRIZA accuses the government on the occasion of today’s meeting of the foreign ministers of the two countries and the statements about the restart of the dialogue in the context of the efforts to solve the problems in the bilateral relations.

SYRIZA, in its statement, states that it “firmly supports the maintenance of open channels and dialogue with Turkey. We have repeatedly underlined the conditions required in order to for this dialogue to move in the interest of national interests and peace and not be another opportunity for Turkey to opportunistically play the card of moderation until it receives the benefits it seeks from the international community”.

The entire SYRIZA announcement:

SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance firmly supports maintaining open channels and dialogue with Turkey. We have repeatedly underlined the conditions required for this dialogue to move in the interest of national interests and peace and not become another opportunity for Turkey to opportunistically play the card of moderation until it receives the benefits it seeks from the international community.

We underline that we are not going to follow Mr. Mitsotakis in his policy, that of the ruthless exploitation of sensitive national issues for political gains.

Mr. Mitsotakis, who one day attacks his political opponents for “pro-Turkism” and the next refers to “concessions” or leaks about signing a co-promise within the next months, does not have our trust and will find us against him if follow this “IX foreign policy” for internal consumption in restarting the Greek-Turkish dialogue.

A few weeks ago, the Prime Minister was pre-election exploiting the Muslim minority of Thrace and without considering the consequences, he was boasting that he would raise the issue with Mr. Erdogan. Today, the Greek Foreign Minister watches the Turkish Foreign Minister talk about the “problems of our expatriates” in Greece. Some time ago, Mr. Mitsotakis set as a high priority the issue of converting Hagia Sophia into a mosque and today we are watching the Turkish Foreign Minister raise the issue of “maintaining Ottoman monuments” in Greece.

We are expecting an update on today’s meeting as soon as possible.