The president of PASOK-Movement for Change Nikos Androulakis expressed clear reservations about the discussions at tomorrow’s Supreme Cooperation Council and at the meeting between Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Tayyip Erdogan at the Maximos Palace.

Concluding his speech in the Parliament on the taxation of freelancers, Mr. Androulakis commented on what the Turkish President said to “Kathimerini”: “We read an interview today: “We do not threaten you, if you do not threaten us”. Mr. Erdogan is making fun of us, as you understand. He probably doesn’t know what casus belli means. Mr. Erdogan implies that tomorrow he will raise the issue of demilitarization of the islands. Because he considers that we are threatening Turkey”, said Mr. Androulakis and emphasized: “The conditions are clear. We have every right – both from Montre and from all that we have signed with other countries – to have equipment, an army and to guard our sovereign rights, as allowed by International Law and Treaties”.

“What else was Mr. Erdogan saying? “All in The Hague”. So, no co-promising, no discussion on the one and only issue we are raising, demarcation of maritime zones. Everything on the table. Turkish bazaar, Mr. Erdogan,” he added.

The president of PASOK-KINAL stated that he is not opposed to Mr. Mitsotakis meeting with Mr. Erdogan, “but given his statements, time is wasted.” “There is no European perspective for Turkey. As the same story continues, who are you helping? Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, through a false narrative of a supposedly European perspective, to establish bilateral economic relations with Turkey and everything else goes smoothly. This whole strategy allows Germany and other countries to put the huge issue of Turkish provocation under the carpet, to make the European peoples not see the elephant in the room”, argued Nikos Androulakis.

“We have a stable position. Greek foreign policy must take the lead in order to stop this mockery of the so-called European perspective. There is no European perspective for a country that violates human rights inside itself and the sovereign rights of European Union countries”, he underlined.

The problem is not two-sided, it is a Euro-Turkish issue. Everyone must realize that they have to put their hands in their pockets to pay for security in Cyprus, in Greece, in Finland, in Sweden, beyond NATO, with Eurosrat, the common foreign policy. And in Euro-Turkish relations, it is not only immigration, there are also other issues”, he added and explained his party’s position.

“We propose that a dialogue of a new trade agreement with Turkey should be opened, which will be the carrot, with the upgrading of the customs union of 1995. Didn’t Turkey want that? Let’s take this, since there is no European perspective and let us get a mechanism of automated sanctions that will work with financial sanctions directly”, he stressed.

At this point he referred to the issue of unanimity needed to have sanctions, expressing his disagreement with unanimity in foreign policy matters.

“Let only the EU veto remain. The country should have the power of veto when a country is to enter the European Union. This exists. This cannot be abolished, because it is a vital point concerning the European rules, the European Treaties. But there should be no unanimity in the sanctions.

And because there are countries like Hungary with Orban, the Netherlands now that we don’t know what they will do, we want this automated mechanism. Whenever Turkey violates human rights inside Turkey or sovereign rights of European countries, to directly operate a framework of strong economic sanctions that will make a Turkey that is deeply economically dependent on the European Union to accept International Law…” he noted.