The aim of Mitsotakis’ visit to Ankara was to maintain calm in the air and at sea in the Aegean, to promote certain bilateral issues that can be resolved, for example the progress made on migration which is extremely important, and the economic goals which are not are negligible, Dora Bakoyannis emphasized to SKAI and the show Today.

“Greece consistently does not discuss issues of sovereignty,” clarified the ND MP and former minister. “We have a difference, we have said it many times, if progress is made on this it will be extremely important. My feeling is that we are still a long way from that.”

Dora Bakoyannis favored dialogue and meetings between the two leaders, noting the progress in bilateral relations “where we were in the 20s literally with our finger on the trigger, and our submarines in the Aegean, and our planes were constantly in the air , and we had a huge cost. There were nights that summer when I didn’t sleep, of course I worried. When the two countries get to “para five” and the tension has peaked, it’s no joke.”

“Analysts say that with Erdoğan “we haven’t passed Imia”… It’s true, nevertheless that summer was a wild summer, a difficult summer. The armed forces handled the matter with absolute calmness and professionalism, this does not mean that politically we had not reached a point where Americans, Europeans and various others fell into the middle…”

Monastery of the Country

The transformation of the Monastery of Chora into a mosque was a colossal mistake of the Erdogan government, it does not belong to Turkey, but to universal culture, noted the ND MP. “The most beautiful mosaics in the world do not belong only to Muslims and Christians. From what I understand, the mosaics like those of Hagia Sophia will not be covered. The decision was made 4 years ago, it was delayed because of the archaeologists, it was out of place, wrong and gross,” he said.

The government’s response to the marine parks was clear, that it will go ahead and do what it thinks is right to protect the environment, he added.

Fire against the opposition

“We have proven that we know how to defend national interests and when to say the big “no”. And we said it, not within the country, outside the country. Populism sells, and it is easy not only in Greece, in the Balkans and in the world. We want to be responsible and useful for the national interests” remarked Ms. Bakoyannis.

“I heard Androulakis’ blunt statement “I would never go to Ankara”… Mr. Androulakis never went to Ankara, maybe he went as an MEP, he has never managed such an issue to understand. I also heard Mr. Kasselakis’ other harsh statement, who told us to bring the three memoranda for Skopje tomorrow morning. Kasselakis and foreign policy concepts so far incompatible. I hope he learns what a continental shelf is, he still has time.”

“Mr. Gerapetritis has said that the memoranda must be voted on, but if we do it now, we will show that we are afraid of something, secondly that we are redefining ourselves and that Mr. Kasselakis will do us the favor of making Greece’s foreign policy, and not a different foreign policy. We are not rebuke” he clarified.

Message to North Macedonia – Edi Rama

Regarding North Macedonia and the victory of VMRO nationalists, he said that reality is taking its revenge, reality will fall on their heads and they will understand that everything they were saying was fresh air. “If they persist, European prospect yok. This country can’t stand this, the reactions, it’s a small country with a weak economy, or they’ll come to their senses, they’ll follow the beaten path, they’ll eat what they said before the elections, we’ve experienced it in our own.”

For Edi Rama’s gathering in Galatsi, Dora Bakoyannis reported that Rama gathered 5,000 Albanians and greeted them with joy. “I care about what he did with Beleris,” he noted. “Albania’s European path depends on the respect of the ethnic minority and it passes through Greece. Let Mr. Rama not forget that Greece has political influence on the voters among the Albanians who exist in Greece, and when he wants to make use of this influence, he can do so with great ease,” Mrs. Bakoyannis pointed out.