Athens slams Turkish ‘foot-dragging’ on Greek soldiers
Athens has asked Ankara to clarify the reasons why two Greek soldiers detained after accidentally crossing the border earlier this month were still being held by Turkish authorities.
“The Turkish government [must] respond why, almost a month on, we have no knowledge of the charges [on which they are being held],” government spokesman Dimitris Tzanakopoulos told journalists Friday, adding that the “foot-dragging” of Turkish authorities was undermining good neighborly relations.
On Thursday, a Turkish misdemeanor court ruled that the Greek soldiers, who were detained after accidentally crossing the border in bad weather, cannot be released because they have no permanent residence in Turkey and could try to leave the country. The decision means that the pair will remain in jail until a trial date has been set by the judge.
