Of Antonis Angeletou

THE “earthquake diplomacy” in 1999. The “earthquake diplomacy» in 2023. How efficient can it be and how long is it expected to last?

The warm words of Mevlut Cavusoglu and the warm embrace with Nikos Dendias came to “turn off» the diplomatic episode in Ankara during the press conference about three years ago.

Tayyip Erdogan appears to “is lost” inside and looking for a “life jacket» to be caught hoping for his political survival.

In major crises and disasters, citizens “they rally» around the flag as long as there is a response and the staff’s reflexes are immediate.

The mechanism in Turkey has not worked effectively and a wave of discontent has swept the country.

According to estimates by the Turkish Business Confederation, the damage to the economy is estimated at 84 billion dollars, i.e. 10% of the GDP of the Turkish economy.

The earthquakes are estimated to have caused about $70.8 billion in damage to residential buildings and an additional loss of $10.4 billion in national income, including damage to public infrastructure, networks, schools, hospitals, etc.

The opposition is ready to “pay» Erdogan with the same coin.

In 1999 AKPafter the deadly Izmit enclave, won many points by criticizing the then-ruling coalition for its inaction.

Now it is Tayyip Erdoğan’s turn to be the defender.

THE “hell» of Antioch shakes him and overturns all his plans.

According to many, it is time for the Turkish president to explain why he emphasized for such a long time on nationalist crowns and left his country unfortified.

His relationships with the contractors who built the collapsed buildings are at the center of criticism.

Before the earthquake the opinion polls were not favorable. And as time goes by, there are more and more voices asking whether he should make use of the provision of the Constitution on “state of emergency» in order to move the elections back six months.

This means that for a long time the tone with Ankara will fall.

Except for some targeted “crowns” that will probably remain in order not to invalidate the previous tension strategy. If, in this climate, a meeting between the Greek prime minister and the Turkish president is set, it will be a good development given the circumstances.

“I hope that our solidarity during this earthquake will also be decisive in opening a new page with GreeceMevlut Cavusoglu said on Tuesday.

More in these moments, thoughts turn to the thousands of victims, survivors and those who lost their own people than to whether these warm statements will last over time.

Tayyip Erdogan is now called upon to run the reconstruction of the affected areas.

There he will be tested against the opposition which will soon announce its leader.