Editorial To Vima: Who will rein in Erdogan?

Forget what we knew or thought we knew about Turkey until now.

Τhe premises and facts upon which Greek foreign policy was based diachronically have changed forever.

Erdogan’s Turkey is a different country.

The “sultan” abandoned Turkey’s prospects for accession to the EU long ago and now he does not hesitate to directly provoke European leaders.

Imbued with neo-Ottoman visions and grandiose, expansionist ideas he has provocatively thumbed his nose at the West and international law and has set out on a new course.

It is clear that he wants to transform his country into a global Muslim power at any cost.

Turkey is continually opening new military fronts and in so doing it is acting in a destabilising manner and is displaying a glaring indifference to the fact that it has lost all of its traditional allies.

It is certain that we shall see an escalation of Turkish provocations as the US is preoccupied with the upcoming presidential elections.

The current situation forces Greece to find answers and to set clear and non-negotiable red lines.

At the same time the international community must realise that the situation has reached its limits and that it must make it clear that enough is enough.

Reservations, delays, and postponements in putting the brakes on Turkish claims could prove fatal and the repercussion will have an impact far beyond Greece.