Opposition leaders in Turkey have criticized the government for failing to respond strongly to recent violations of Turkish territorial waters by Greek coast guard vessels, Voice of America’s Turkish edition reported on Wednesday.
The controversy arose after footage surfaced showing Greek coast guard boats entering Turkish waters on two separate occasions, on Friday near the Bodrum district of southwestern Muğla province and on Monday off the coast of Muğla’s Datça district. Despite these incidents, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan did not directly address the violations following his recent meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in New York during the United Nations General Assembly.
📹 The Greek Coast Guard boat, which harassed the Turkish flagged fishing boat named 'Barbaros 4' by firing into the air off the coast of Bodrum district of Mugla, was removed from the area by the Turkish Coast Guard teams who quickly arrived in the area.#Greece #Turkiye pic.twitter.com/BL0Yd49hMe
— Mete Sohtaoğlu (@metesohtaoglu) September 25, 2024
In addition, on Thursday, Greek coast guard officers reportedly fired shots into the air to intimidate a Turkish fishing boat off the coast of Bodrum. Turkish authorities later confirmed no damage to the boat.
Greek ships harass Turkish fishermen along Turkish coasts day after day. Today, they were merely warned by the Turkish Coast Guard without any consequences. The harassment is increasing daily. If Turkey eventually fires on a Greek ship, who will be to blame? The Greeks, who… https://t.co/HNtibhowJC
— Shogun (@92shogun) September 26, 2024
In a statement after his meeting with Mitsotakis, Erdoğan emphasized the importance of dialogue between Turkey and Greece, saying the countries should work toward strengthening good neighborly relations. However, opposition leaders argue that Erdoğan’s government has not taken adequate steps to address the incursions or defend Turkey’s territorial sovereignty.
Ali Yerlikaya, Turkey’s interior minister, raised concerns with his Greek counterpart, Christos Stylianides, about the border violations, which Greece says were linked to ongoing efforts to combat human smuggling. Stylianides reportedly promised an investigation into the incidents, but no formal inquiry has been confirmed by Greek authorities.
Members of Turkey’s opposition, including the Republican People’s Party (CHP) and the İYİ (Good) Party, have voiced strong criticism of the government’s response.
CHP Deputy Chairman Yankı Bağcıoğlu called the government’s reaction “passive,” warning that allowing such violations could weaken Turkey’s national security and embolden Greece. Bağcıoğlu, a retired admiral, also suggested deploying more patrol boats in critical areas to prevent further incidents.
Meanwhile, İYİ Party Deputy Chairman Ahmet Kamil Erozan speculated that Turkey’s muted response was linked to a diplomatic understanding with Greece regarding appointments at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE). According to Erozan, Turkey may have sought Greece’s support for appointing a Turkish diplomat to a key position at the OSCE, in exchange for backing a Greek candidate for another role.
Erozan and others in the opposition stressed that Turkey should not downplay the violations, calling for a stronger stance from the government.
Neighbors Greece and Turkey, both NATO allies but historic foes, have been at odds for decades over a range of issues from airspace to maritime jurisdiction in the eastern Mediterranean and ethnically split Cyprus.
Both countries have signaled a potential thaw in relations, with Greek and Turkish leaders agreeing to explore the possibility of talks on demarcating their maritime zones.