Greece signals shift in foreign policy and addresses wildfire crisis

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis have signaled a shift in national strategy regarding relations with Turkey. Mitsotakis stated that Greek sovereign territories are indisputable and ready to be defended, noting that discussions with Ankara will be limited to continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) delimitation in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.

Foreign Minister Gerapetritis emphasized that the era of passive Greek diplomacy has ended. This marks a departure from previous approaches focused on crisis management and maintaining calm waters.

In domestic matters, Mitsotakis addressed the ongoing wildfire crisis, noting that while climate change exacerbates conditions, the total burned area in Greece this year is lower than in previous years and compared to other Mediterranean nations. He reported that since the start of the fire season, there have been approximately 2,700 forest fires, with over 500 occurring since early August. He also touched upon various legislative and infrastructure updates, including the Greece-Cyprus electrical interconnection and new spatial frameworks for tourism and renewable energy.