Speak loudly and carry a big missile
Kathimerini English Edition
Kathimerini English Edition is a daily newspaper published and distributed along with the International New York Times.
By Constantine Capsaskis
Newsletter Editor
Welcome to the weekly news roundup by Kathimerini English Edition. My name is Constantine,?and this week sees the return of your regularly scheduled programming, i.e.?Turkey?and its mercurial president?Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
On Tuesday,?Turkey tested a new ballistic missile, dubbed the “Tayfun”, over the?Black Sea. The reported range of the missile, 561 kilometers, is almost double that of their previous “Bora” ballistic missile.
And this is just one of the many, many,?projects being developed by the Turkish defense industry, which apart from the now infamous “Bayraktar”?drones?include several missile types, new ships, and a fighter jet.
At the same time,?the rhetoric emanating from?Ankara?continues to be somewhat contradictory.?Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, once again playing the role of ‘good cop’, stated that?all differences with Greece can be solved through dialogue and negotiation. On the other hand, both Erdogan’s chief advisor Ibrahim?Kalin?and Foreign Minister Mevlut?Cavusoglu?were less conciliatory.
Now, I will be the first to admit that there is something to be said about dialling down the level of coverage that Greek media afford Turkish statements and developments, despite a stone-sized hole in my own glass house.
The German government certainly seems to think so, with?deputy spokesperson Wolfgang Buchner?stating “I do not believe, however, that?we should talk a great deal about every phrase?that is uttered” when asked about Erdogan’s statements.
So far, so German government you might say. But it is not alone. Kathimerini’s own?Dimitris Rigopoulos?makes the very fair point that?this excessive coverage is “borderline comical”, with?extreme scrutiny being given in Greece?to every word spoken by any Turkish official.
However, when that official is the?Turkish president?stating that the “Tayfun” launch?was a “message” to Turkey’s adversaries?while the state broadcaster shares a map of the missile’s range almost exclusively covering continental Greece, one cannot help but take it a bit personally.
This week also saw?Prime Minister?Kyriakos Mitsotakis?travel to?Brussels?as part of a wider European effort to find an agreement to?tackle soaring energy prices. Speaking after the event, Mitsotakis?expressed his satisfaction with the agreement?and highlighted Greece’s role in reaching a compromise.
“Our arguments and the majority of states that supported them convinced the most skeptical and we have an agreement at European level”, he said. The prime minister also stressed that the Greek government will continue to?support households and businesses?from rising energy prices.
However, the Governor of the Bank of Greece?Yannis Stournaras?emphasized?that there must be “limits” to such measures and that the measures should be targeted, lest they further fuel the?high rate of inflation.
Finally, experts are?warning?of the?impact of increased?wood burning, to which many Greeks have and will resort to due to the energy crisis, on public health and the environment.
MUST READS
OPINION
The Greek Foreign Minister’s visit to Ukraine, and Turkey’s threats
Tom Ellis
Editor-in-Chief, Kathimerini English Edition
The recent?visit of Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias to Kyiv, his third since the start of the war, took place under extraordinary circumstances – the city was being bombed and he and his Ukrainian counterpart?had to be taken to a bunker?to sign a memorandum of cooperation – and came to emphasize?three important points.
First,?the?fact that?Greece?has made a?clear?choice?to support Ukraine?which is defending itself against?aggression. On that, there is?broad agreement?among Greece’s?three main parties?–?New Democracy, SYRIZA and PASOK, that got 80% of the vote in the last elections – with respect to the country’s geopolitical orientation.
As it often the case?in democracies, there is a variety of opinions that have more to do with the tactics, not the grand strategy; specifically?the extent to which Greece should be involved militarily in the Ukraine war?by providing weapons in addition to humanitarian and medical assistance. Part of the criticism stems?from the concern expressed by some?that?sending arms to Ukraine weakens Greece’s defense?at a time when its NATO ally, Turkey,?openly threatens?it.
That brings us to the second point?which is that?disputing, let alone using force to change,?borders?that have been recognized through international agreements and treaties is?unacceptable.
Given the vivid memories from Turkey’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974 – Russia talks of a special operation; Ankara of a peace operation – it comes as no surprise that?Greece is solid in standing with the victim?in both cases.
Voices in Ankara have gone so far as to “warn”?Greece?that it?might end up like Ukraine.
Last, but definitely not least, the visit?once again?brought attention to?the fact that there is a significant?Greek community?in?Ukraine?with which we feel a strong emotional attachment –?the Greek war of independence?has its roots in Odessa – and hence Athens has an additional reason to oppose the?present aggression and to do whatever it can to?protect its ethnic brethren?that have lived there for centuries.
?CHART OF THE WEEK
The long-awaited arrival the Athens Metro Line 3 to Piraeus has led to a measurable increase in real estate prices in Greece’s largest port, vindicating the belief of many industry professionals. The Athens Metro, complemented by the existing tram line and ISAP electric railway, has increased Piraeus’ connectivity and made it more attractive to potential buyers. Additionally, these areas are marked by a deficit of available quality housing, neighborhoods peppered with abandoned warehouses and manufacturing sites, and a lack of quality-of-life improvements. This combination is expected to herald a new wave of investment into the area, as developers have already begun seizing the opportunity to firmly establish themselves in the Piraeus realty market.
ESCAPADE
King Charles III and His Enduring Affection for Greece
Is King Charles Orthodox? As he ascends the throne, we explore his close ties to Greece, the land of his grandfather, and his spiritual commitment.
ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL
WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA
25/10/2022
Anniversary of the death of Fofi Gennimata: Tuesday will mark one year since the death of?KINAL?and?PASOK?leader?Fofi Gennimata, which will be?commemorated?with a?series of events?by the center-left party and the?Hellenic Parliament.
25/10/2022
Parliamentary Committee on Institutions and Transparency: A total of 10 people have been summoned by the?Parliamentary Committee?to testify on the practice of?wiretapping, including representatives of Greece’s major telecommunications providers.
26/10/2022
Scholz visits Athens:?German Chancellor Olaf Scholz?will visit?Athens?and a meeting with?Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis?has been scheduled for?Thursday at 12 p.m., expected to focus both on?bilateral relations?as well as on?economic and European developments.
28/10/2022
Anniversary of October 28:?Greece?will commemorate the?rejection?of the?Italian ultimatum?of October 28, 1940, that marked Greece’s entry into the?Second World War?with a?military parade?in?Thessaloniki.??
PODCAST
Kathimerini’s Vassilis Nedos joins Thanos Davelis to discuss the question of air superiority and its impact over the years on Greek-Turkish relations, looks at how the pendulum is swinging in favor of Greece today, and breaks down whether this changing dynamic between the two countries is a factor in Turkey’s decision to escalate tensions with Greece.