Evangelos Apostolakis

Defense authorities in Greece have refuted reports in the Turkish media suggesting that the neighboring country had sent ships to the eastern Aegean's Imia islets which were preventing Greek vessels from approaching the area. 

Opposition New Democracy has accused the government of trying to place the armed forces under SYRIZA's control with last week's new leadership appointments. 

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has reportedly sent a letter of congratulations to Hellenic National Defense General Staff Evangelos Apostolakis for his appointment as Greek minister of defense after Panos Kammenos broke from the government coalition earlier this month and stepped down from the role.

In what was seen as a thinly disguised warning against Turkey, newly appointed Defense Minister and former chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Evangelos Apostolakis said Greece will staunchly defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity if it has to.

Greece's Council for Foreign Affairs and Defense (KYSEA) on Friday appointed Lieutenant General Christos Christodoulou as the new chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA), after Evangelos Apostolakis left the post to become Defense Minister.

Newly appointed Defense Minister Evangelos Apostolakis said Turkey should choose between "the path of collision and the path of cooperation" with Greece in his first statement in a handover ceremony at the ministry earlier on Tuesday.

Newly appointed Defense Minister and former Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff Evangelos Apostolakis looks on during his swearing-in ceremony at the Presidential Palace in Athens, Monday. [Alkis Konstantinidis/Reuters]

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar on Thursday reiterated a warning that his country will not relinquish its rights in the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean, responding to comments by the Greek chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff. 

Akar said Turkey has taken all necessary precautions "not to allow any faits accomplis in the Aegean and the Mediterranean."

With Ankara repeatedly disputing Greece's sovereignty in the Aegean, the chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA), Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, warned on Wednesday that Greece will 'flatten' any Greek islet in the event that Turkish forces land there.

The chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff (GEETHA), Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, said on Wednesday that if Turkish forces land on a rocky islet in the Aegean, it will be "flattened."

"If they land on an islet, we will flatten it. And this is a red line that is adopted by the government as well," he was quoted as telling journalists during a briefing in Athens.