Erdogan-led govt proceeds with latest provocation in central Aegean; boatload of would-be migrants pushed forward by Turkish coastguard

The increasingly isolated Erdogan administration in Turkey has proceeded with another round of provocations in the Aegean, this time issuing an illegal NOTAM covering much of the sea’s central one-third from Nov. 12 to Dec. 13.

According to a report in the evening newscast of Athens-based Mega channel, the Turkish government also demanded that other vessels keep a distance of three nautical miles, while at the same time repeating a demand for the demilitarization of Greece’s eastern Aegean islands – many of which are the targets of repeated threats of military action by a coterie of Turkish nationalist politicians and saber-rattling ex-military officers.

Among others, Turkish officials avoided using the name Karpathos for the eponymous island in the southeast Aegean, preferring the medieval Italian name of “Scarpanto.”

Τhe reported issuance of a notice to mariners and aviators to stay away from a sea region in between several Greek islands comes hours after video was posted by the Hellenic Coast Guard showing a large but flimsy inflatable carrying dozens of third country nationals, east of the Aegean Island of Lesvos, being accompanied by the Turkish coast guard towards Greek territory.

According to an accouchement by the Greek coast guard, the Turkish vessels engaged in dangerous maneuvers in order to “push forward” the inflatable towards Greece’s territorial waters.

Repeated radio calls to the Turkish vessels sailing nearby to intercept the craft and retrieve its occupants were at first repeatedly ignored, HCG stated, merely adding that the latter eventually towed the would-be migrants back to the coast of safe country-designated Turkey.