Urgent question to the European Commission “for the new Turkish provocations that have been taking place in the last few days in the wider Aegean area”, testified the ND and EPP MEP, Eliza Vozeberg – Vryonidis.

In her question, she points out “the bilingualism and aggressive rhetoric of President Erdogan, who continues to question Greek sovereignty in the Eastern Aegean islands and raises the issue of demilitarization, despite the Memorandum of Friendship signed between Greece and Turkey last December”as he mentions.

In this context, Mrs. Vosenberg asks the European Commission “how it evaluates the new Turkish provocations and how it intends to react categorically so that Turkey refrains from any aggressive action against Greek sovereign rights”.

Here is the full text of Ms. Woseberg’s question:

“Turkey comes back with new challenges against Greek sovereign rights in the Aegean region. Ankara’s aggressive rhetoric was expressed this time with anti-Navtex related to the activities of the Greek armed forces in the Aegean and specifically in the maritime area southeast of Crete, near the coasts of the Greek islands of Kasos and Rhodes.

The Turkish side defiantly brings back, as it did last week, the issue of demilitarization of a total of 23 Greek islands in the Eastern Aegean region, and in fact a few hours after an incident involving dangerous maneuvers by a Turkish offshore vessel in Imia, which ended with the presence of two vessels of the Greek Coast Guard .

The Greek side immediately reacted to the new Turkish provocations with verbal communication and letters of protest that reject the Turkish claims and prove the correctness of the Greek positions.

Given the aggressive attitude of President Erdogan which is not in line with the Joint Declaration of Friendship between Greece and Turkey, signed last December, the Commission is asked:

– How does he assess the new Turkish challenges in the Aegean?

– Does he intend to react directly and categorically and what actions is he going to take, in order for Turkey to refrain from any aggressive action against Greek sovereign rights?