Tensions in the Aegean
After protests against numerous overflights of Turkish fighter jets – renewed flights over Greek islands
Turkish fighter jets are repeatedly invading Greek territory
© Eibner press photo | Eibner press photo / Picture Alliance
Turkish fighter jets have recently penetrated Greece’s territory several times, and Athens protested sharply. But this obviously did not impress Turkey. Shortly thereafter, there were again flights over Greek islands.
In Greece, Turkish fighter bombers again flew over seven inhabited islands on Wednesday, including Samos with around 33,000 inhabitants. There were repeated airspace violations in the morning and at noon. Each time they were intercepted by Greek fighter planes.
The Greek foreign ministry finally lodged a protest with the Turkish ambassador. The Greek Secretary General referred to “a violation of Greece’s sovereignty”. It is “unacceptable provocation” and violates fundamental principles of international law. The actions also endangered international air traffic.
The Greek general staff had recently recorded a massive increase in overflights by Turkish fighter planes. Some of the bombers raced over Greek islands at a height of just 300 meters.
Just about 40 minutes after the protest from Athens, Turkish warplanes flew over again. As reported by the Greek broadcaster “Skai”, citing the Greek Ministry of Defense, two Turkish F16 fighter jets flew over the Dodecanese islands of Lipsi and Arki. Also in the evening, several Turkish F16 fighter jets flew over numerous islands, including Kastellorizo, Samos, Kos and Rhodes. In any case, Greek fighter jets intercepted the Turkish fighter jets.
Greece: Hundreds of airspace violations after meeting with Erdogan
Turkey has long been at odds with Greece over sea sovereignty in the Aegean. There are conflicts, among other things, about the exploitation of possible natural gas deposits in the region and the militarization of the islands. Turkey has already complained to the United Nations (UN), Athens justifies the militarization with the threat of numerous landing craft on the Turkish west coast.
Entry into Greek sovereign territory by the Turkish navy, but above all in the form of overflights by the Turkish air force, is now practically the order of the day. As recently as mid-April, Turkey undertook dozens of overflights and several hundred airspace violations as part of its military project “Mavi Vatan”, the “Blue Homeland”, which is intended to make Turkey a sea power.
From April 11 to April 19, the Greek General Staff recorded 30 overflights and 282 airspace violations. When intercepted by Greek fighter planes, there were a total of 15 confrontations. At a meeting on March 13 in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis actually agreed that they wanted to improve the heavily strained relations between their countries.
Sources: Skai, efsyn, Kathimerini, Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairswith material from the dpa