2020 IS A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR FOR GRECO-TURKISH RELATIONS

Political Map of Turkey

Greece faces today the mass influx of refugees and migrants at the Greek-Turkish border.  The November 2019 Turkey-Lybia maritime accord and the hoards of migrants constitute the two major provocations to Greece's security today.  Also, Turkey's deal with Lybia endangers Greek economic interests in the eastern Mediterranean and smashes the hopes for the erection of an eastern Mediterranean gas pipeline.

The Ridiculous Dictator Erdogan  

Greece has already deployed major military forces to secure its eastern borderline with Turkey.  But there are disputes between Turkish border patrol troops and Greek fishermen, which have become a daily event, lately. The Turks even threaten the fishermen on Greek territory, with 5.000 euros to be released, otherwise, they are kept in jail for six months.  One fisherman had to pay the Turks 4.000 euros to get his boat back.  But these terrible harassments are not made public by the news media.  Obviously, when the fishermen are accompanied by Greek soldiers and policemen the Turks leave them alone. These events happened since Erdogan became president never before.


The new Greek government have sent extra police and army forces in order to stop the massive refugee and migrant arrivals, which they have done successfully.

The relations between Athens and Ankara are frosty.  The increased influx of migrants comes at a time when the relations between  Greece and Turkey are at a nadir.  Moreover, Turkish warplanes fly low over Greek airspace, on a daily basis, and are chased away by Greek military pursuit planes.  The Turks also claim the Greek continental shelf which is also a European Union territory.

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How unfortunate we are to have such dangerous and ridiculous neighbours.


   

Frosty Relations Between Athens and Ankara