Ankara lashes out at EU, accuses it of ‘pampering’ Greece

The European Union is “pampering” Greece and supporting its “pursuit of maximalist demands,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Tanju Bilgic said on Tuesday, responding to separate statements expressing concerns about Ankara’s escalation of aggressive rhetoric against Greece from the European Commission and the Foreign Ministry of the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU’s rotating presidency.

“This attitude of pampering Greece encourages a deadlock, not a solution, and supports Greece’s pursuit of maximalist demands,” Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency quoted Bilgic as saying.

“Those who make these statements ignore Greece’s violations, harassment and threats, provocative actions and rhetoric against our country, and their actions and practices against international law. Their indifference is a complete disgrace,” he said.

Bilgic added that the EU’s “unquestioning support for Greece in Aegean and Mediterranean conflicts on the grounds of solidarity with a member state is against both the EU’s own acquis and international law.” 

Its statements, he said, “have no meaning or value for Turkey.”