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Young Australian teacher details how she went blind on a Greek holiday

Andriana Simos
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Young Australian teacher details how she went blind on a Greek holiday

It was supposed to be the holiday of a lifetime. Bouncing around the Greek Islands and cruising along the Italian coastline in the ultimate European summer adventure.

But for Australian primary school teacher, Elise Osmand, the joy of overseas travel was brought to a sudden halt when one morning, she woke up without most of her eye sight.

The 28-year-old put her vision loss down to a combination of jet lag and a big night out on the town. She was otherwise seemingly healthy and had no other symptoms.

“My vision felt like I had foundation in my eye,” Ms Osmand explained to news.com.au.

“I wasn’t in pain … and I could see from the bottom of my right eye. But the top half was blurred to a dark brown, so I couldn’t see properly.”

Being diagnosed in Greece on holiday, Osmand said her “whole world came crumbling down.” Photo: Supplied, Instagram via news.com.au.

Ms Osmand and her travel buddies were in a rush to get to the airport so instead of seeking immediate medical attention, she decided to continue her travels to Athens and see how she felt in 24 hours.

“When I woke up the next day… my sight was completely gone in my right eye,” she says, explaining that she still had 20/20 vision in her left.

It was at this stage that Ms Osmand decided to source an English-speaking doctor close to her accommodation in Athens. He initially told her she had a brain tumour.

“Then the next thing he said was…’you don’t have a brain tumour… but it could be cancer.’ That’s when things freaked me out,” Ms Osmand explains.

In the end, he gave the young Australian a diagnosis that has changed her life forever. Ms Osmand was told she had Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

Osmand says her lifestyle has changed significantly since her diagnosis. Photo: Supplied, Instagram via news.com.au.

“The only thing I knew about that was a wheelchair,” she says.

“At first I got upset about it… it was a really confronting moment. It felt like my world had come crumbling down… a death sentence.”

READ MORE: Nick Dimos finally arrives in Russia for life-saving Multiple Sclerosis treatment.

MS is a disease in which the immune system eats away at the protective covering of nerves, resulting in disrupted communication between the brain and the body.

Currently, 10 Australians are diagnosed with MS every week with the majority of those diagnosed being young women around a similar age to Ms Osmand.

Ms Osmand was diagnosed in 2019. Her vision returned four months later but she says she quickly began to experience other symptoms related to the diagnosis, including hypersensitivity to touch and severe fatigue.

“I have always been very active and would do a lot of exercise. Now, while it’s still really good for me to do, it can trigger symptoms and drain me to a point I can’t recover from. So I have to stay hydrated and cool,” she tells the Australian media outlet.

Ms Osmand said the fatigue factor has been the hardest symptom to live with, especially as it often leads to cancelling plans at the last minute.

But she still hopes that her early diagnosis and effective treatment plan will reduce the likelihood of more complicated symptoms down the track.

“Some days are crippling and I can’t get out of bed the entire day,” Ms Osmand says.

“There’s no guarantee I won’t have issues with other areas, but I may not get to the wheelchair stage. Getting on treatment is the most important thing you can do and early detection. You can’t fix damage but you can at least prevent further ones.”

READ MORE: ‘Just trying to be in my kids’ lives’: Dimitris Garbas’ MS diagnosis and fight for life.

Marcus Stoinis could lose chance to play Test cricket after mentoring young gun

The Greek Herald
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Marcus Stoinis could lose chance to play Test cricket after mentoring young gun

Greek Australian cricket all-rounder, Marcus Stoinis, has unselfishly helped young prodigy, Cameron Green, in his meteoric rise to international level, but could this week become a victim of his own generosity.

Stoinis is all that stands between Green making his international debut for Australia at the SCG on Friday, with selectors facing the first of several difficult calls this summer on incumbency versus the future.

Green doesn’t have an especially strong 50-over domestic record, but the One Day International series (ODI) against India could be the perfect chance to test the all-rounder’s credentials at the highest level – and get some valuable overs under his belt – before the Test summer.

READ MORE: Shane Warne: Marcus Stoinis deserves a place in the Australia squad.

Marcus Stoinis has helped young gun Cameron Green flourish at state level. Picture: AAP.

However, Stoinis is coming off a strong Indian Premier League (IPL) and is the more noted white ballplayer, having also performed solidly in all six of Australia’s most recent T20 and ODI matches in England in September.

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of Green’s stunning emergence is it has come out of Western Australia, where Stoinis and Mitchell Marsh are both current all-round international stars themselves and still in the prime of their careers.

If Greg Chappell is right in his prediction about Green being a generational superstar, then Stoinis may never realise his dream to play Test cricket.

But if Stoinis is worried about being overtaken by the 21-year-old kid he has helped guide over the past few years, it hasn’t shown.

“I have no doubt that Mitch and Stoin will be having one eye on Greeny,” WA bowling coach, Matt Mason, told The Daily Telegraph recently.

“But I also know as well that they’ve been massively a big part of his development. Particularly Stoin.

READ MORE: Marcus Stoinis crowned Big Bash League player of the season.

Green has soaked up the learnings from Stoinis (left). Picture: AAP.

“Stoin has spent a huge amount of time with him in the winter, which was great to see. I think they all recognise that as long as they’re doing their thing and they’re performing, they don’t need to worry either.

“Greeny has got the runs on the board and the performances, but actually, they’ve been more of a help to him than you can possibly imagine – especially in the modern world where you would think given the competition for places it’s every man for himself.

“That’s certainly not the case.”

Source: The Daily Telegraph.

Battle of Arachova: The revolutionary victory for the Greek army

The Greek Herald
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Battle of Arachova: The revolutionary victory for the Greek army

By Victoria Loutas.

On this day in 1826, the Battle of Arachova ended with Greece claiming victory. The battle was fought between an Ottoman Empire force under the command of Mustafa Bey and Greek rebels under Georgios Karaiskakis. The win for Greece was revolutionary and transformed the fate of Arachova. 

Lead up to the battle:

In the midst of the Greek War of Independence, countless battles continued to occur between the Republic of Greece and the Ottoman Empire.

In 1823, during the campaign of Yusuf Perkoftsalis Pasha in Eastern Central Greece, the Turkish army forced the numerically fewer Greeks to leave the small mainland town of Arachova, where the land remained in the control of the Turkic people. 

In 1826, Greek General George Karaiskakis along with an army of men, made their way to Arachova with plans to rekindle the revolutionary spirit of its original inhabitants. After receiving intelligence of the Ottoman army’s maneuvers, Karaiskakis prepared a surprise attack in the vicinity of the village of Arachova. 

Georgios Karaiskakis is well-known as a hero of the Greek War of Independence.

READ MORE: Georgios Karaiskakis: Hero of the Greek War of Independence.

On 17 November, Karaiskakis and his troops arrived in Distomo where they encamped in the lead up to the battle. On the same day, Mustafa Bey, the Ottoman commander, dispersed Greek pickets at Atalanti, later camping at the Agia Ierousalim monastery outside Davleia. 

Karaiskakis ordered his officers to occupy the church of Agios Georgios in Arachova and the surrounding houses. Small bands were also stationed between Arachova and Distomo in order to signal the outbreak of hostilities, at which point the main force would come to their aid.

Although the Greek force had a much smaller army of 950 men going up against the Turk’s 2000, they were still determined and adamant to succeed.

The battle:

On November 18, the battle officially began and enemy units wasted no time to attack the Greeks. Despite their initial successes, they failed to overthrow the Greek positions. By the end of the first day, the Greeks were in a more advantageous position having tightened the siege around the enemy, who had to face the adverse weather conditions.

The Battle of Arachova officially began on November 18.

As the days went on, the strength of the Greek army was revealed as they maintained their dominant position. With the battle not looking up for the Turks, they asked for a negotiated deal, however they rejected the offer Greece presented. 

Mustafa Bey ordered his men to prepare to attempt an exit through the Greek positions on the night of the 23rd and 24th of November, as it was their only way out. In preparations for this escape, Mustafa was injured due to a Greek bullet and was unable to continue on. 

Come November 24, the Turks decided to go ahead with their escape plan,heading towards the peaks of Parnassos. The Greeks noticed them and rushed at them with clubs and knives, as the falling snow rendered their weapons useless. 

The strong snowstorm restricted the Greek army from chasing after the Turkish men past the slopes of Mount Parnassos. The fled of the Turks declared this battle a victory for the Hellenic Republic of Greece.

Aftermath:

The day after the victory, Karaiskakis set up on a hill, visible from the Oracle of Delphi and lifted a trophy with the inscription “of the Greeks against the barbaric Ottomans, erected in 1826, November 24 in Arachova.” The victory was later announced to the government via a letter, which was signed by all the chiefs and officers who took part in the battle. 

Of the 950 Greek men who took part in the battle, the Hellenic army had minimal losses, with only 4 dead and 9 slightly injured. 

This victory of Arachova was of immense importance, retrieving the land back to its true inhabitants and further rekindling the revolution in Roumeli.

RAAF jet flying Mathias Cormann around Europe as he campaigns for OECD job

The Greek Herald
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RAAF jet flying Mathias Cormann around Europe as he campaigns for OECD job

Just a fortnight into Mathias Cormann’s global campaign to head an international economic body, the former finance minister has clocked up more than 20,000 kilometres on a taxpayer-funded Royal Australian Air Force plane.

Mr Cormann is no longer on the taxpayer purse for his income but he’s being given Government jet-propelled support to become the next Secretary-General of the European-dominated Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD).

His bid to become the first Australian to head the Paris-based organisation began on November 7-8 with a Canberra-Perth-Muscat leg that included a refuelling stopover in the Maldives.

The RAAF Dassault 7X then flew to Ankara, Turkey, where Mr Cormann began his lobbying in earnest.

Turkey is one of the OECD’s 37 member countries.

Mathias Cormann held a barbecue during a stop in Berlin as he campaigned for the top job at the OECD. Photo: Twitter.

From Ankara, Mr Cormann flew five hours north to Copenhagen, Denmark, one of the 19 founding members of the OECD in 1960.

The French, German, Flemish and English speaker had dubbed the OECD one of the most consequential governing bodies in the world, particularly as the world seeks to recover from the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

“These are big challenges and I have accepted this nomination because I believe I canmake a real difference,” he said when his candidacy was announced.

The OECD Secretary-General’s job comes with a Euro 232,626 tax-free salary, or the equivalent of $376,900.

Mathias Cormann is using a RAAF Dassault 7X to assist his campaign.. Photo: Australian Defence Force.

On November 12, it was off to Berlin, where Mr Cormann could lobby in a familiar tongue, with Australia’s Ambassador to Germany snapping a photograph of Mr Cormann manning a barbecue during his stopover.

“A bit of downtime over the weekend amid [Mathias Cormann’s] busy visit to Berlin,” Ambassador Philip Green tweeted.

“Time for a BBQ, including Thuringia sausages. Mr Cormann at the tongs, straddling Australian and German culture.”

The ex-WA senator grew up in a German-speaking region of Belgium.

Three days later, he was off to Bern, Switzerland, for another three days of campaigning. His diplomatic speed-dating then took him to Ljubljana in Slovenia and then Luxembourg, via Bern.

On November 21, Mr Cormann arrived in Brussels where he once worked as an assistant to Mathieu Grosch, a Belgian Member of the European Parliament. Brussels is 130km from Eupen where Mr Cormann was born.

Mr Cormann flew from Brussels to Madrid, Spain, taking his two-week travel tally to 21,360km. His plane remains there today.

Defence records show flying the RAAF plane costs more than $4,000 per hour of flying.

The ABC has contacted the Department of Defence for comment.

Source: ABC News.

Fronditha Care: La Trobe’s proposal to terminate Greek Studies will impact aged care sector

The Greek Herald
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Fronditha Care: La Trobe’s proposal to terminate Greek Studies will impact aged care sector

In a written statement to La Trobe University, not-for-profit aged care provider, Fronditha Care, has expressed its disappointment at the university’s proposal to terminate the Modern Greek Studies Program.

The consultation period between the university and the community ends tomorrow on November 25. Tomorrow is also the last day to sign a petition set up by university students to save the program. So far, over 5,100 people have already signed.

It comes as no surprise then that the CEO of Fronditha Care, Michael Malakonas, and President, Professor Eugenia Pedagogos, have sent this letter to La Trobe, making the important point that “the decision to abolish the Modern Greek Studies program will have a negative impact on the aged care sector.”

READ MORE: Urgent meeting held to discuss future of Modern Greek Studies at La Trobe University.

“Significant verbal and written competence in the Greek language is central to our capacity to provide care to the elderly members of our community,” the letter states.

“The termination of this program has the potential to negatively impact the elders we care for, the language and cultural competence of our workforce, aged care in the CALD space and the social fabric of Victoria.”

The letter goes on to say that the continuation of the Modern Greek Studies program is crucial as it “facilitates the ability for elderly Australians of Greek background to live with dignity.”

“If our workforce lacked the ability to produce and use bilingual (Greek and English) communications, it could be detrimental to the quality of care the elderly members of our community receive,” Fronditha Care writes.

Full Statement from Fronditha Care:

This letter comes in the face of a meeting last Friday between representatives of the Greek community and La Trobe University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor, Professor Susan Dodds, the Head of the School of Humanities Professor, Simon Evans, and two other leading academics.

They met to discuss viable solutions for the continuation of the program but Bill Papastergiadis, President of the Greek Community of Melbourne, told The Greek Herald on Monday that La Trobe expects “the number of students to triple for the program to be sustainable.”

READ MORE: ‘La Trobe Uni wants student numbers to triple’: Community races to save Greek Studies Program.

The Greek community, including teachers and students, are fighting to save the Greek Studies Program at La Trobe University.

In a statement to The Greek Herald on Monday afternoon, La Trobe University mentioned the meeting and said it would carefully consider “staff consultations” and “representations made from members of the community” before making any decision on the future of the program.

Full Statement from La Trobe University:

“La Trobe was pleased to meet with members of the Greek community in Victoria last Friday to discuss the change proposal and hear their concerns. It is clear there is a strong desire from members of the community for La Trobe’s Greek Studies program to continue.

We discussed the significant financial impacts to the University as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, our subsequent Strategic Plan, and the fact that student demand for the program would need to increase substantially before the program could be financially viable. La Trobe will carefully consider the outcomes of staff consultation, as well as representations made from members of the community, regarding the future of the program before making any decision.“

Australians warned to be aware of ‘hidden asbestos risk’ in homes built before 1990

The Greek Herald
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Australians warned to be aware of ‘hidden asbestos risk’ in homes built before 1990

It’s National Asbestos Awareness Week 2020 and people across Australia, including Greek Australians, are being reminded to be asbestos aware before they start any work around their home.

Especially if their home is built or renovated before 1990 as there’s a good chance it has some asbestos, according to the Asbestos Diseases Society of South Australia.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen and inhaling asbestos fibres can cause a number of life-threatening diseases including pleural disease, asbestosis, mesothelioma and lung cancer.

Asbestos-related diseases cause approximately 4,000 deaths a year.

Despite this, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Australians have increased their love of DIY and are using the extra time to do home improvements and maintenance.

Shows such as Channel 9’s The Block, which featured Greek and Cypriot contestants this year, have also inspired people to make remarkable changes to their homes in short time frames.

READ MORE: Notorious buyer behind the big wins for Greek and Cypriot contestants on The Block.

But what they may not know is that this work could be putting their health or someone else’s health at risk. Asbestos materials are still commonly found in bathrooms, laundries, and kitchens as well as behind tiles and under flooring.

As the saying for National Asbestos Awareness Week 2020 goes: Asbestos lurks in more places than you’d think.

“We are encouraging Australians to make sure an asbestos check forms part of their DIY checklist before they start their home improvements,” the President of the Asbestos Diseases Society of SA, Mr Peter Photakis, says.

“Research shows that 1 in 5 DIYers have encountered asbestos, but only half sought any kind of professional help to deal with it. Additionally, a third admitted to disposing of the asbestos improperly – including in their own household bin or in a neighbour’s bin.

“Just like plumbing and electrical work, asbestos removal – or jobs around the home that might uncover asbestos – is a job best left to the experts.

“This Asbestos Awareness Week we are calling on Australians to know the health risk, be aware of where asbestos might be found before starting work, and call a professional for help.”

Serres man, 25, becomes youngest victim of COVID-19 in Greece

Andriana Simos
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Serres man, 25, becomes youngest victim of COVID-19 in Greece

A 25-year-old man, Thodoris Pavlidis, from Seres, a city in northern Greece, passed away after suffering with COVID-19 on Monday.

His tragic death makes him the youngest person to die from the virus in Greece since the start of the coronavirus pandemic.

Pavlidis also suffered from pre-existing health conditions and he had recently undergone open heart surgery.

READ MORE: Greece under lockdown: Empty streets, police checks and COVID deaths at record high.

He was originally treated in the General Hospital of Serres, but was later transferred to Papanikolaou General Hospital in Thessaloniki, where he was intubated.

This tragic development reflects a disturbing shift in COVID-19 figures in Greece, as doctors claim that more young people with the virus are being admitted to hospitals and even dying from it.

Greece has seen daily COVID-19 deaths spiral to above 100 over the weekend, with 108 people dying on Saturday and another 103 on Sunday. On Monday, 84 people died and 1,388 new confirmed infections were recorded.

READ MORE: Army field hospital set up in Thessaloniki as Greece’s COVID deaths hit record high.

Mene Pangalos is behind AstraZeneca’s ‘highly effective’ COVID-19 vaccine

Andriana Simos
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Mene Pangalos is behind AstraZeneca’s ‘highly effective’ COVID-19 vaccine

A Greek scientist, Menelas (Mene) Pangalos, is the head of research and development at pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca which, together with Oxford University, has developed a COVID-19 vaccine with efficacy rates between 62 to 90 percent.

Specifically, researchers found that if people were given a half dose followed by a full dose of the vaccine, rather than two full doses, about 90 percent of people were protected.

Where two full doses were given at least one month apart, it showed 62 percent efficacy.

READ MORE: Australia to receive first batch of AstraZeneca’s vaccine for COVID-19 by New Year’s Day.

The combined average across different dosing regimes, which had a total of 11,636 trial participants, was 70 percent effective.

“We’re extremely excited because what the data has shown us is that the vaccine is clearly effective in terms of reducing infections,” Pangalos told BBC News on Monday.

“It’s clearly effective in terms of reducing people getting sick and going to the hospital. It’s potentially reducing transmission and I think it’s got every chance of being a very successful, very effective vaccine that can get us back to normal.”

Australia has a deal to begin manufacturing 30 million doses of AstraZeneca-Oxford’s vaccine over the next 12 months if it is approved by regulators.

AstraZeneca is the third major drug company to report late-stage results for its potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Pfizer and Moderna last week reported preliminary results from late-stage trials showing their vaccines were almost 95 percent effective.

READ MORE: Greek CEO of Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90% effective.

But unlike rivals, the AstraZeneca-Oxford vaccine does not have to be stored at ultra-cold temperatures, making it far easier to distribute in developing countries.

“The vaccine can be stored, transported and handled at normal refrigerated conditions for at least six months and administered within existing healthcare settings,” AstraZeneca said in a statement.

No hospitalisations or severe cases of COVID-19 were reported in trial participants, the company said.

This good news comes as Qantas boss, Alan Joyce, confirmed that once the vaccine is widely available it will be a non-negotiable condition of flight on international services.

“We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travellers, that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft,” Joyce said in an interview with Nine’s A Current Affair on Monday night.

“Certainly for international visitors coming out, and people leaving the country. We think that’s a necessity.”

READ MORE: Australian religious leaders raise “ethical concerns” about potential COVID-19 vaccine.

Who is Mene Pangalos:

Mene Pangalos was born in Ealing, London, to a Greek family who had settled in England. His mother was born on the island of Chios, while his father was descended from the island.

“My father was a sailor. My mother was a housewife. There were no scientists in my family. If I followed my family tradition, I would become a ship engineer,” Pangalos says in an interview with thedoctor.com.

In the interview, Pangalos claims that he was not a very good student, but science was always something that interested him. 

“I have always had a passion for science and one of the things that fascinated me was the way the human brain works,” he says.

Mene Pangalos was born in Ealing, London, to a Greek family.

“No one in my family had been to university, but I was fortunate that both my parents were very supportive of me continuing my higher education.”

After graduating from Imperial College London, Pangalos completed a PhD in Neuropharmacology from the University College London.

He later trained at Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City and worked for the global pharmaceutical industry, including Bristol-Myers Squibb, Janssen Belaxecm and Smith.

From 2003 to 2008, he oversaw the development of 20 experimental drugs in Wyeth, USA, and then spent two years at Pfizer before switching to AstraZeneca.

At AstraZeneca, Pangalos transformed the company’s culture, boosting the productivity of the research and development sector to bring more drugs to market.

How does he explain the great successes of his career?

“I was lucky and I took the opportunity when it came to me. I was not afraid to take risks, leave home and go to different countries and explore different opportunities,” he says in the interview.

Greece’s state injection of 120 million euros to prop up Aegean Airlines

Andriana Simos
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Greece’s state injection of 120 million euros to prop up Aegean Airlines

Greece will support Aegean Airlines with a capital injection of 120 million euros to help the iconic company come through the effects of the coronavirus pandemic, the Greek government announced on Monday.

The news drove the carrier’s shares 10% lower to 3.79 euros, later recovering to trade 8.7% lower.

Under the plan, the government would receive warrants in exchange for providing funds for the privately-owned Aegean Airlines, the government’s chief spokesman, Stelios Petsas, said during a press conference.

READ MORE: Aegean Airlines provides answers to thousands of disgruntled Greek Australians.

Aegean shareholders would also provide an additional 60 million euros.

In the longer term, the state would get its money back as air transport provided “the wings that bring tourists to the country,” Petsas said.

“With the warrants the state will get, when recovery comes, the price of the shares will increase, meaning the state will get money back when this coronavirus adventure is over.”

Petsas added the plan was being developed in a way to secure approval from European authorities that assess whether state aid is fair.

“The state support plan of the airline sets as an integral part, the capital increase of Aegean with the participation of its shareholders,” Petsas said.

“It is noted that the decision of the government is compatible with the European framework of state aid to companies and sectors affected by the pandemic, such as the aviation sector.”

The 120 million euros worth of financial support from the Greek government is still a much lower amount than the assistance, worth more than 32 billion euros, which other European aviation companies have received or are about to receive.

READ MORE: Greece sees 99% drop in travel revenue during April lockdown.

Turkey blames Greek Commander for searching cargo ship suspected of carrying weapons

The Greek Herald
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Turkey blames Greek Commander for searching cargo ship suspected of carrying weapons

Turkey prevented German forces belonging to a European Union military mission from carrying out a full search of a Turkish cargo ship they suspected of taking weapons to Libya, both countries confirmed on Monday.

Soldiers from the frigate Hamburg boarded the Turkish freighter, the Rosaline A, overnight, but had to abandon checks and withdraw after Turkey protested to the EU mission, the German Defense Ministry said.

The frigate was operating in the Mediterranean as part of the EU’s Irini mission, which aims to stop arms reaching the warring factions in Libya.

“By the time the soldiers left the ship, they had not found anything suspicious,” a German defense ministry spokesman said.

Turkish security sources said the Rosalina-A was carrying various materials such as food and paint, and that the search team had violated international law by not waiting for permission from Turkey.

It said the soldiers had found nothing despite spending the entire night opening containers on the ship.

“Following the search that lasted until the early hours of the morning, the soldiers understood that there was nothing on the ship apart from humanitarian aid, foods such as biscuits, and paint materials, and left the ship,” a source said.

Confirming a report in the news magazine Der Spiegel, the German spokesman said the Hamburg had intercepted the Rosaline A about 200 km (125 miles) north of the Libyan city of Benghazi on Sunday night.

He said the Hamburg had followed standard procedure by waiting four hours for approval from the flag country and then boarding. Later, once the objection arrived, they withdrew.

“All procedures were followed correctly,” a German foreign ministry spokeswoman said.

The 16,000-tonne container ship left the Turkish port of Gemlik near Bursa last week, and was last seen off Athens, heading southwest towards Libya, according to Refinitiv Eikon data.

Turkey cries foul at German attempt to police Libya blockade:

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry on Monday summoned the ambassadors of Germany, Italy and the European Union to protest what it calls “the illegal” interception of the Libya-bound Turkish vessel.

Operation Irini, a European Union military operation under the umbrella of the Common Security and Defense Policy, was launched on March 31, 2020 with the aim to enforce the United Nations arms embargo to Libya.

Currently the operation is under the command of a Greek officer. Captain Theodoros Mikropoulos officially assumed the position of Commander at Sea for the second half of 2020. The commander’s ship is the frigate “Adrias,” while his naval staff is comprised of 14 Greek staff officers, among others.

These are all facts which have been highlighted by the Turkish media.

“Provocation by the Greek commander in East Mediterranean,” writes one Turkish media outlet, TRThaber.

“Provocation by the Greek commander in East Mediterranean,” wrote one media outlet, TRThaber, claiming that the “order to the German frigate was given by the Greek Commander of the Irini mission.”

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Hami Aksoy, also added his voice to the controversy yesterday, saying: “Operation Irini is a one-sided operation.”

“It is an operation that aims to punish the legitimate Libyan government and does not inspect arms supplies to the putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar, and is involved in arbitrary practices,” Aksoy said.

He also noted that the Turkish vessel’s captain cooperated with Operation Irini forces and shared extensive information about the vessel’s cargo and navigation, but faced a long inspection for hours despite their cooperation.

“All the staff was detained and the captain was held at gunpoint by soldiers during the inspection,” Aksoy said.

“We protest this act, which was carried out by force and without authorisation (and) retain the right to seek compensation.”

Source: Ekathimerini.

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