Greek–Turkish relations

The Greek public is understandably concerned about the growing tension that has manifested itself in recent days and weeks in Greek-Turkish relations. 

Some officials are attempting to appease people's fears, but there are others who are clearly doing their best to stoke them even further.

Five new violations of Greek airspace and six infringements of the Athens Flight Information Region by Turkish aircraft were recorded by the Hellenic National Defence General Staff (HNDGS) on Tuesday, as tensions continue to broil between the two countries.

The Greek air force has intercepted a Turkish military drone that violated Greece's national airspace in the southeastern Aegean, Kathimerini has learned.

The Turkish Anka unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV ANKA) twice entered Greek airspace above the Dodecanese island of Rhodes, at an altitude of 19,000-20,000 feet on Thursday.

A sharp increase in migrant arrivals on the shores of the Aegean islands is being read as a reaction by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to reports of certain European Union member-states refusing to foot the bill of an EU-Turkey migration deal, Kathimerini understands. 

Turkish military aircraft violated Greek airspace 31 times in different parts of the Aegean on Wednesday, authorities said as tensions between Greece and Turkey. 

A total of nine aircraft, two pairs of F-16, three CN-235 transport aircraft and two helicopters entered Greek airspace in the north, central and southeastern Aegean and violated air traffic regulations 13 times.

The souring atmosphere in Greek-Turkish relations was fuelled again by the outspoken Defense Minister Panos Kammenos on Wednesday who slammed the neighbouring country for its continued provocations and called for vigilance towards "an opponent who continues to provoke."

The fast-tracking of procedures to implement a 1-billion-euro defense program was agreed on Monday during a meeting of the Parliament's Arms Committee. The decision was taken after a confidential briefing of the committee regarding the immediate needs of the country's land, naval and air forces, Ekathimerini reported.

Turkey on April 2 criticized a Greek Prime Ministry statement regarding two of the latter's soldiers that are currently detained in Turkey.

Responding to comments on Sunday night by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about two Greek soldiers being detained in Turkey and eight Turkish soldiers whose extradition from Greece Ankara is seeking, the office of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras accused the Turkish leader of being on an "inconceivably slippery road of provocative attacks."

The Prime Minister's office issued a strong-worded statement on Sunday evening referring to an "incomprehensibly slippery road of provocative attacks", in response to comments by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan about two cases involving Greek and Turkish soldiers earlier in the day.