New Democracy MP and former Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis suggested a “special relationship” with TUrkey during an event organised by the Circle of Ideas for National Reconstruction, a think-tank established by former deputy prime minister Evangelos Venizelos.
Ms Bakoyannis, sister of conservative Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis, proposed that the European Union establish a ‘special partnership’ with Turkey based on the precondition that Ankara accepts the jurisdiction of the International Court of Justice in The Hague on issues concerning the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) with Greece and issues of the continental shelf.
“We can stick with the status quo. This was the policy foundation at the foreign ministry all these years. I do not believe in this,” she said, adding also that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has had a “character change” in recent years (following the botch coup of 2016) and “is a man who means what he says.”
The conservative minister also proposed the extension of the duration of military service in Greece that is currently at 9-12 months.
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