Christos Stylianides

Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya has expressed Ankara's growing discontent over recent violations of Turkish territorial waters by the Greek Coast Guard during its operations targeting migrant boats.

Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Christos Stylianides met on Thursday with Secretary for Transport of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Lam Sai-hung, who visited Greece heading a delegation which arrived in Athens after visiting Brussels.

More than 3,300 illegal immigrants in two months, in June and July, have been rescued by the Hellenic Coast Guard in 171 incidents in the Aegean Sea. Among them, 117 traffickers were identified and arrested while 60 boats were seized.

Seeking to relieve popular island destinations such as Santorini, and possibly Mykonos, of the effects of overtourism, the government is planning new legislation that will increase the disembarkation fee for cruise ship passengers. According to a government official, the disembarkation fee cannot "cannot be lower than 10 euros for Santorini."

Ankara has canceled the visit of Turkish Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya to Athens, which was scheduled for Tuesday.

The issue of expensive ferry ticket prices is on the table for yet another summer. The Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Christos Stylianides, has taken stronger initiatives to control the situation. Checks have already begun, he has sent a letter to the Competition Commission and a Price Observatory will be set up.

Shipping and Island Policy Minister Christos Stylianides reiterated Greece's steadfast support for the EU's efforts to modernize the EU legislative framework for maritime safety, during an EU transport ministers meeting held on Tuesday in Luxembourg.

The global shadow fleet, numbering up to 850 oil tankers, not only circumvents sanctions on countries such as Russia, Iran and Venezuela but also poses environmental risks, with Shipping Minister Christos Stylianides stating on Tuesday that Greece is taking measures to protect its coast. This matter was also in the focus of delegates at conferences on the second day of the Posidonia fair.

Closer international cooperation between naval missions in the Red Sea has reduced the number of attacks by Yemen's Houthis over the past week, Greek Shipping Minister Christos Stylianides told Reuters in an interview on Tuesday.

Greece is the home of the headquarters of the European Union's naval operation in the Red Sea, which is dubbed "Aspides" and in Greek means "Shields".

Greece and France signed an agreement stating their intent to collaborate on maritime-related issues on Monday. Greek Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Christos Stylianides, Environment and Energy Minister Thodoros Skylakakis, and French Secretary of State for the Sea and Biodiversity of France Herve Berville signed the document.