Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, issued new threats against Greece referring indirectly to Kastellorizo during a speech on Monday.
Speaking after a Cabinet meeting, Erdogan hit out at “the plans of those who try to lock a country of 780,000 square kilometers to its shores using an island of 10 square kilometers in the eastern Aegean” – an apparent reference to Kastellorizo.
“Those who are asserting themselves to us, when the time comes, I hope they do not pay a heavy price,” he added.
Erdogan also responded to Greece’s announcement on Monday that it would be boosting its military funding, calling the Greek armed forces “dilapidated.”
READ MORE: Greece to boost military amid tension with Turkey.
“I advise those who, instead of sitting around the table with us, show defiance with their dilapidated military forces, to carefully inspect our diplomatic efforts and military operations of the past four years,” Erdogan said.
“Turkey will continue to follow a determined and active policy in the eastern Mediterranean.”
