‘Absolutely no excuse’: Greece condemns Turkey’s entry ban on official

·

Greece has strongly protested a decision by Turkey to deny entry to and detain a Greek regional governor who arrived by boat in Izmir to preside over a regional body’s plenary session.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, governor of Central Macedonia and first vice president of the European Union’s Committee of the Regions, said Turkish authorities did not provide a reason for denying him entry on Saturday and keeping him in a room for over six hours.

“I cannot know what the Turks were thinking. But I can tell you that this act was an act of extreme provocation towards not only a Greek official but also a European official because I was there in my European capacity,” Mr Tzitzikostas said.

Apostolos Tzitzikostas, governor of Central Macedonia and first vice president of the European Union’s Committee of the Regions.

“The Turkish authorities checked my identity, my passport and all my diplomatic European documents. They have absolutely no excuse…”

Greece’s Foreign Ministry also weighed in on the issue and said they “unequivocally condemn the unacceptable and totally unjustified detention and entry ban imposed on the governor of Central Macedonia by the Turkish authorities in Izmir.”

In the end, after protests by both Greece and the EU, Turkey lifted the entry ban, but Tzitzikostas decided to leave anyway and not attend the 13th plenary session of the Euro-Mediterranean Regional and Local Assembly, a body over which he presides, on Monday and Tuesday.

Source: AP News and AMNA.

READ MORE: Turkey’s Foreign Minister warns Greece against expanding territorial waters in Aegean.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

Melbourne man charged for impersonating police officer and assaulting families

Franesko Vamvakaris appeared in Ringwood Magistrates Court on Monday, facing charges of impersonating a police officer and unlawful assault.

Antonopoulos’ Le Sands temporarily closes amid dispute with Bayside Council

The iconic Le Sands Restaurant in Brighton-Le-Sands, owned by Paul and Elizabeth Antonopoulos, has temporarily closed its doors.

Canberra teen Aiden Stuart ‘lucky to be alive’ after hit-and-run incident

Aiden Stuart, a 15-year-old student from Canberra, remains in critical condition after being struck by an allegedly stolen car.

Canterbury resident Peter Katholos pays to mow overgrown lawn amid government inaction

Homeowners in Canterbury-Bankstown are taking action against overgrown grass along public roads, as councils fail to address the issue.

Double-header delight: St George Saints march away with two straight wins

St George Saints Men's White were out for redemption in round 2 of the Basketball NSW Men's Waratah League.

You May Also Like

Insight or Perspective: “Overloading children with activities could be detrimental health”

"Little Sevasti can’t do Ballet and Greek dance, Greek class, English tutoring and Maths competition without burning out," writes Elefterias.

Australia’s Governor-General holds high level meetings in Greece

The Governor-General of Australia, David Hurley, has held numerous high level meetings on the first day of his historic visit to Greece.

‘I like helping people’: Panayiotis Paras on being a qualified interpreter in NSW

The pool of language professionals has grown due to the NSW Government’s Multicultural Interpreting Scholarship Program.