Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias on Thursday again referred to official “Turkish revisionism” in the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean, in statements while visiting the small eastern Aegean Isle of Agathonisi, one of the farthest from the mainland of Greece.
During a visit to inaugurate new military housing and barracks on the outlying island, Dendias said Greece would not accept any questioning of its sovereignty or maritime rights, amid reports that the Erdogan government is preparing legislation to formalize – at least for its domestic political consumption – contested maritime claims.
“We Greeks are facing revisionist ambitions that have intensified recently through claims of non-existent rights and unilateral planning that directly violates international legality — and, in many cases, even common sense,” Dendias said.
Echoing recent remarks by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis, Dendias stressed that all Greek islands possess the full rights granted under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
“All our islands have exactly the rights provided for under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea — neither more nor less,” he declared. “The Aegean, like all seas, can be a place of friendship and coexistence, but only if rules exist. And those rules are international law and the law of the sea.”
The remarks come as Athens remains on alert over Ankara’s expected maritime bill, which Greek officials view as possibly codifying what they consider as Turkey’s revisionist, baseless and irredentist “Blue Homeland” doctrine into domestic law. According to reports, Athens views the move as both a response to Greece’s recent maritime spatial planning initiatives within the European Union and an attempt by Turkey to reinforce its claims for domestic political consumption.
Concern over explosives-carrying drone
Dendias also addressed what he described as an “extremely serious” incident involving a Ukrainian drone discovered near Lefkada carrying explosives.
The minister warned that the drone could have collided with a passenger or commercial vessel, calling the incident a major safety concern for maritime traffic in the region.
“Greece expects — and it will not escape attention that clear explanations are owed to us,” Dendias said, adding that he expects formal clarifications from his Ukrainian counterpart. The findings of the investigation will be forwarded to the Greek Coast Guard and subsequently to prosecutorial authorities.
Strategic significance of Agathonisi
Dendias’ appearance in Agathonisi carried symbolic as well as strategic significance. Located near the Asia Minor coast and home to fewer than 200 permanent residents, the isle has long occupied a sensitive position in Greek-Turkish relations and has frequently been referenced in debates over sovereignty, migrant smuggling routes and maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Aegean.
The defense minister also highlighted the government’s broader military housing initiative, which includes plans for 17,000 residences for armed forces personnel across Greece, with priority given to the eastern Aegean islands and the Evros border region.
“When there is a supply problem, you do not subsidize demand — you solve the supply problem,” Dendias said, defending the construction-focused policy as a more sustainable model than direct benefit schemes.
While Athens insists it wants to preserve the current climate of “calm waters” with Ankara, Dendias’ remarks underscored growing Greek unease over what officials increasingly view as a coordinated escalation of Turkish maritime claims across the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean.
