Mitsotakis Defends Dialogue with Turkey, Stresses Sovereign Rights

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis used his first Sunday review since the summer break to insist that Greece’s pursuit of dialogue and good neighbourly relations with Turkey does not amount to backing down on its rights. He also placed heavy emphasis on the economy, early public debt repayment, and this month’s wildfires.

Referring to renewed objections from Ankara over Greece’s new Spatial Planning Framework for Renewable Energy Sources, and the revival of Turkish claims about so-called “grey zones,” Mitsotakis said Greece acts on the basis of international law, exercises its rights, and will not allow threats or unlawful claims to dictate its decisions. “We consistently pursue dialogue and good neighbourly relations with Turkey. But dialogue does not mean retreating,” he said.

Debt Repayment and Economic Outlook

On the economy, the prime minister confirmed that Greece will make a further early repayment of €13bn in public debt during 2026, on top of the €36bn already repaid ahead of schedule since 2019—a pace of debt reduction he described as the fastest in Europe. He called the reduction a matter of “fairness for future generations” and said the country “cannot load our children with bills created in the past.” He also pointed to an upgraded outlook for the Greek economy from Japanese credit rating agency Rating and Investment Information (R&I), and said he would return to economic issues from the podium at the Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF) in two weeks’ time.

Wildfires and Environmental Measures

Mitsotakis devoted a lengthy passage to August’s wildfires, noting that unusually strong winds, sustained for 20 days according to the National Observatory of Athens, made firefighting extremely difficult and grounded aircraft for periods in Boeotia and Western Attica. He said burnt areas this summer were nonetheless lower than in previous years and than in other Mediterranean countries, even as firefighters and volunteers tackled more than 500 fires since August and over 2,700 since the start of the fire season. At least 1,000 people were evacuated by sea. He also announced that damage assessments are continuing.

In addition, Mitsotakis unveiled new measures, including a new FinStart initiative by the Ministry of Education to teach financial literacy and digital fraud awareness to 40,000 primary and secondary students, and new irrigation works for Lasithi, including the Chochlakies reservoir and Agios Ioannis dam, with timelines of 18 and 42 months respectively. He also announced the myAGRO digital platform for the 2026 agricultural subsidy, where early applicants by 15 September will receive an advance by 31 October, while others will be paid by 30 November. He introduced a “right to be forgotten” for cancer survivors, ensuring insurance contracts cannot use data from five years after treatment—shorter than the 15-year EU rule.

Great Sea Interconnector and French Investment

A major development highlighted by Mitsotakis is the agreement for French infrastructure investor Meridiam to become majority shareholder in the Great Sea Interconnector company. French cable giant Nexans is already a critical industrial partner in the project and is responsible for the difficult task of manufacturing and laying the subsea cable. The French involvement gives the project a broader European and geopolitical dimension.

The project aims to end Cyprus’ electricity isolation and connect it directly to the European power system. Mitsotakis called the agreement “a strong vote of confidence in our energy infrastructure.” He also argued that the project strengthens Greece strategically and helps consolidate its role as the region’s main energy hub.

The next critical phase is the resumption of seabed surveys and offshore works.

Geopolitical Context

Mitsotakis’s broader message is that Greece will keep diplomatic channels open with Ankara but will not freeze national projects because of Turkish objections. His comments come amid renewed momentum behind the Great Sea Interconnector and Ankara’s reaction to Greece’s new spatial-planning framework for renewable energy.

Earlier, Turkey had raised objections to survey activity in maritime areas claimed by Greece under international law. Ankara has also revived claims relating to the status of certain islands and maritime areas. The new spatial frameworks for tourism and renewable energy impose stricter limits in sensitive areas such as small islands, Natura 2000 zones, forests, archaeological sites, and environmentally sensitive landscapes.