Everything blue

To avoid any misunderstandings and to not give off the wrong impression to anyone, particularly our country’s rivals, we Greeks quarrel, curse each other, and occasionally tear each other apart. We do it methodically – and primarily – passionately. We also do it frequently.

However, if we feel that our country is facing a serious threat, we put our differences aside and unite into a single fist. We put our differences aside, our arguments, and we coordinate to do what must be done. This is something they must know in Ankara because they could potentially misinterpret the current situation. They might be intrigued by the idea of an “adventure” with Greece because they see us divided, and they see a government beset by the most widespread turmoil it has faced during its term. And since they are facing issues in their own country, maybe exporting this tension is a solution in some people’s minds. It is impressive how Turkish officials are escalating their rhetoric and how they are attempting to lay the groundwork for any provocative actions. Even if some consider it part of a Turkish political game that is solely for internal consumption, experienced and level-headed observers of Greek-Turkish relations do not agree. They worry and wonder what scenario will play out in the fall.

There are many instances in the past where Turkey chose to create crises when they saw a destabilized Greece. From 1955, when it orchestrated a pogrom in Istanbul when Greece was leaderless after Alexandros Papagos fell ill, to 1996 and the Imia crisis, when Kostas Simitis had just assumed the prime minister’s office and was not yet in full control of the government and the state. The pattern is tried and predictable.

However, let them know that if they do attempt it, what they see today will have nothing to do with what they see then. In difficult times, Greeks go colorblind, they see everything blue.

National issues, not party politics.