Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit the southeastern Aegean island this weekend for the 83rd anniversary of its liberation, amid heightened tensions with Turkey over the status of Greek islands.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is scheduled to visit Kastellorizo on Saturday and Sunday, in a trip that will mark the 83rd anniversary of the island’s liberation but also carries a broader political and diplomatic message toward Ankara.
The timing of the two-day visit is seen as significant, particularly given the presence alongside Mitsotakis of the speaker of Parliament, the chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, the interior minister and the four New Democracy lawmakers representing the Dodecanese region.
The visit comes shortly after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan issued threats concerning the demilitarization of Greek islands, accompanied by provocative references to the proximity between the Turkish town of Kas and Kastellorizo.
“If we could simply raise our voice from our mainland, from Kas, to Greece, they would hear us, wouldn’t they?” Erdogan said.
Turkish media outlets have also commented ironically on the planned visit, with reports claiming that “Mitsotakis is provoking, he will visit Kastellorizo, perhaps he will hear better!”
A visit linked to a historic anniversary
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis sought to put the visit into perspective, saying that it “is not something that should become news.”
Explaining the purpose of a visit carrying such strong symbolism, particularly following Turkey’s unilateral declaration of what Greece considers illegal marine parks, Gerapetritis said the trip is primarily connected to the historic anniversary.
One of the Turkish marine parks covers an area that limits Kastellorizo to the zone of its existing six-nautical-mile territorial waters, effectively isolating it from the surrounding area.
“The Greek prime minister and the Greek government are always present, particularly on the islands of the Eastern Aegean and the Dodecanese, to demonstrate in practice that Greece stands by the people living on the frontier,” Gerapetritis said.
“Greece will never relinquish any right. We must bear in mind that the pursuit of peace does not in any way mean retreat,” he added.
The foreign minister also said Greece does not fear a military incident with Turkey, noting that communication channels between the two countries remain open. At the same time, he stressed that this does not mean Greece is not prepared for every scenario.
“At this moment, we have the strength to respond to anything,” Gerapetritis said.
His comments came as Turkish media analysts were arguing that “Turkey has fallen behind Greece in the Air Force.”
Greece reiterates its position toward Turkey
Despite what the Greek side described as Turkish rhetoric, Athens is continuing to emphasize its established positions from both domestic and international platforms.
Those positions are that Greece does not threaten anyone and wants dialogue, while it does not discuss matters of sovereignty. Athens says it seeks stability through functional good-neighborly relations and supports resolving the one dispute it recognizes with Turkey: the delimitation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zones, based on international law.
The prime minister’s visit to remote Kastellorizo is therefore taking place against a backdrop of heightened Turkish activity and rhetoric in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
At the same time, it is becoming increasingly clear that a Turkish bill concerning the so-called “Blue Homeland” is not expected to be introduced in October. Preparatory discussions have not yet begun in the Turkish parliament, while Athens has briefed the European Union and the United States on the matter.
Mitsotakis to visit projects and infrastructure
During his weekend visit, Mitsotakis is also expected to meet with the mayor of Megisti, the municipality that includes Kastellorizo, and visit projects and infrastructure on the island.
On Sunday, he will attend events marking the anniversary of Kastellorizo’s liberation.
