Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos was quoted by the French daily “Liberation” over the weekend as warning that the armed forces of Greece and Turkey are “very close to a fatal accident”.
“… when (Greek) airspace is being violated we send our aircraft to escort Turkish planes (out of the airspace). We’re at the mercy of a possible accident at this point, which could happen at any time, and spread to the coast guard, navy…” he was quoted as saying.
Kammenos, who established and heads up a small right-wing and populist-infused party that props up the mostly leftist-dominated Tsipras government, also said violations of Greek airspace and territorial waters are violations of European borders, something that Ankara deliberately conducts in order to pressure Europe.
“That’s the reason we brief our European allies and NATO… we’re obliged to defend our territory, not only for Greece but for Europe,” the previously anti-bailout and anti-austerity political firebrand said.
He also repeated, as widely reported over the past week, that previous incidents involving Greek and Turkish servicemen straying into the other country’s territory, along the frontier in the Thrace province, were always resolved immediately and at the local brigade level.
“Turkey is a member of NATO and an ally of Greece. Such incidents must be dealt with peacefully,” he said.
