Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the island of Kastellorizo, also known as Megisti, where he was expected to say Greece favors open communication channels with Turkey but only on the strict condition that International Law is respected.
According to the report, Athens will not discuss questions of sovereignty or sovereign rights and will not accept any outside guidance on how it defends itself.
Recent Remarks on Stability
Mitsotakis had recently said, speaking from El Alamein in Egypt, that stability does not in any way mean backing down or tolerating faits accomplis. He added that Greece is not afraid to defend its positions with confidence, nor is it afraid to talk.
The visit comes after Turkey, through presidential decrees signed by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, formally declared two "national marine parks" in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, one of which encroaches on waters around Kastellorizo.
Athens reacted by calling the move illegal. The Greek Foreign Ministry said actions that attempt to create faits accomplis or unilaterally affect the status of maritime zones in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean violate International Law, do not help build good neighborly relations, and seriously undermine efforts to maintain mutual understanding between the two countries.
A Domestic Message Too
The visit was also expected to carry a message for a domestic audience. Mitsotakis was set to signal that it is time to move past the Kastellorizo associated with former prime minister George Papandreou, who announced from the island 16 years ago that Greece was turning to the European support mechanism and the International Monetary Fund. That moment left a lasting mark on Greeks, coming as it did against the backdrop of the island's scenery. Mitsotakis was expected to stress that Greece in 2026 bears no resemblance to the Greece of 2010.
Meetings and Infrastructure Visits
Mitsotakis was due to meet the Mayor of Megisti, Nikos Asvestis, before touring infrastructure projects on the island, a visit meant to underline the government's focus on improving everyday life across Greece.
He was accompanied by the Speaker of the Greek Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, who has announced that Parliament will renovate two houses on the island to provide housing for doctors and teachers.
What Comes Next
On Sunday, the prime minister is due to attend events marking the 83rd anniversary of the liberation of Kastellorizo.
