Greek–Turkish relations

Continuing its provocations towards Greece, two Turkish F-16 fighter jets violated Greek national airspace, Tuesday. The two aircraft flew over the island of Panagia at an altitude of 25,000 feet. The jets had infringed the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) south of the island of Chios at 11.05am.

Turkey is continuing to escalate its provocations against Greece, as five fighter jets of the Turkish Air force violated Greek air space 6 times and committed air traffic infringements, Friday. The violations and infringements took place over the south and north-east Aegean Sea, with two of the jets carrying armed weapons.

Nikos Panatelis, a Greek prosecutor on the Supreme Court recommended the non-extradition of 4 of the 8 Turkish military officers who have been charged with treason in Turkey after the failed coup attempt last year. The 8 officers fled to Greece and requested political asylum. Greece’s Supreme Court will issue a final verdict on their fate on January 23.

Four Turkish fighter jets violated Greek national air space three times in the central and southeast Aegean on Wednesday.

According to reports, the jets, two of which were flying in formation, also entered the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR).

The aircraft were identified and intercepted by Greek jets.

Greek-Turkish relations are in a particularly sensitive phase right now, as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become unpredictable and the country is becoming increasingly destabilized. Every front is open, and Turkey appears to be flirting with civil strife and chaos. The risk that this domestic crisis will spill over across the Aegean and into Cyprus is not at all negligible.

Two pairs of Greek and Turkish F-16 fighter jets engaged in a mock dogfight southwest of Chios Thursday afternoon.

The Turkish aircraft were armed and had entered Greek air space.

Also Thursday, a Turkish CN-235 military transport plane violated Greek air space 19 times, authorities said. 

Aggressive rhetoric by Turkey, ongoing violations in the Aegean and Ankara's stance on Cyprus ahead of a crucial multi-party summit next month have fueled concerns in Athens, with Greek political and military personnel under orders to exercise restraint.

Greek diplomatic authorities are faced with an unprecedented and dangerous foreign policy situation on account of a political romance thriller only encountered in spy novels.

Three Turkish fighter jets, two of which flew in formation, entered the Athens Flight Information Region (FIR) on Tuesday and violated Greek national air space over the central Aegean.

Authorities said they engaged in two mock dogfights with Greek fighter jets that were scrambled to intercept them before they left Greece's air space.

The next few months could prove pivotal for Greek-Turkish relations as Cyprus reunification talks resume, Turkish air space violations continue and the refugee crisis festers.