Defence minister: Let Turks step on a Greek island; we’ll see if they leave from there
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Defence Minister Panos Kammenos on Sunday responded strongly to comments by Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in the Turkish press on Friday about the islets of Imia, saying “there’s no way they [Turks] will set their foot” on a Greek island.
“There’s no way they will set their foot on a Greek island. They will be dealt with. Let them set their foot, but then we’ll see if they will leave from there,” Kammenos said in an interview with TV channel SKAI.
“Any provocation will be met by a response. Mr. Cavusoglu should know that the prime minister now is not [former PASOK PM Costas] Simitis and Foreign Minister is not [Theodoros] Pangalos who joined New Democracy. Now, Prime Minister is [Alexis] Tsipras, FM is [Nikos] Kotzias and I am the Defence Minister. Flags now will not be blown away by winds.”
Kammenos continued saying Greece does not respond to verbal provocations noting however that the government will never back down on issues of sovereignty. “Greeks should not worry,” he added. He also commented on recent news reports of a Turkish ship which allegedly moored at the islets of Imia. “We’ve seen fake reports recently […] the island where Turks showed a ship anchored was not Imia,” he said and added “These things are done for domestic consumption and all they can cause is hilarity.”