SYRIZA lashes out after Erdogan accuses party of harbouring terrorists, questions PM’s response

Main opposition SYRIZA has said it hopes that PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis responded to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan ‘s claim that the party supports terrorism with Athens’ steadfast rejection of such claims.

Party sources said that, “Turkey’s effort to present Greece as a country that supposedly harbor terrorists is diachronic and the answer of successive Greek government is an absolute denial of the accusation.

The issue reached a fevered pitch when a Greek high court confirmed the granting of asylum to eight Turkish military officers who fled Turkey right after the failed coup against Erdogan.

Turkish authorities have branded them as terrorists and Erdogan at the time alleged that then PM Alexis Tsipras had promised to return the eight to Turkey but did not make good on his promise.

Does Greece harbor terrorists?

«We hope that the PM, who appeared to adopt a posture of equal distances by saying that tensions can be transcended with good will on both sides, reacted with Greece’s steadfast rejection,” the SYRIZA source said.

“At a moment when only one side systematically violates international law and has the audacity to accuse Greece of supposedly harbouring terrorists when it applies international law [a thinly veiled reference to the eight].

What Erdogan said about SYRIZA

Erdogan himself told journalist that in talks he posed the terrorism claim:

“Last night during our meeting with Mr. Mitsotakis we said ‘Look, these members of DHPK-C, PKK/YPG, and FETO come to you and according to information from [intelligence] services, SYRIZA has become their refuge. Consequently, we expect you to take a stand. Your support will strengthen our support for you.’ ”

The PM’s office has leaked that Mitsotakis’ response was, “Our intelligence service acts seriously and decisively.”