The insistence of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras for a debate “shows disdain for the rest of the parties,” New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis told national broadcaster ERT on Tuesday evening.
“The election results has voided” the request, Mitsotakis said, referring to the wide difference between ruling ND and main opposition Syriza at the May 21 elections.
Speaking of Greek-Turkish relations, the ND leader reiterated the improvement of relations with Turkiye. He said he would seek a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan “to reformulate the road map we will follow in the coming months.” Mitsotakis added that “if I am prime minister at the NATO summit, I will seek it,” clarifying that Greece only recognizes one outstanding issue with Turkiye that could be submitted to the International Court at The Hague for resolutin, that of the delimitation of maritime zones.
In terms of defense procurements, Mitsotakis said, “Greece is obliged to boost its Armed Forces because we have the largest and geopolitically unpredictable neighbor next to us. We managed to change the balance in terms of the strength of the Armed Forces. In the air, things have completely changed compared to four years ago. At this time, Turkiye will definitely not acquire F-35s, and we have been approved to purchase them,” referring to recent approvals by the US Congress. “Turkiye is trying to upgrade its F-16s and we have the Rafales,” Mitsotakis said, referring to the procurement of French-made fighter jets.
