Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis confirmed on Wednesday that he will proceed with a planned visit to Turkey despite heightened political tensions between the two countries following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and renewed disputes over maritime boundaries and energy infrastructure.
In an interview with Proto Thema, Mitsotakis dismissed calls to delay the trip, saying, “There is no issue or particular reason why this meeting should be postponed.” He also rejected claims that the visit serves domestic political aims, adding, “I am not trying to pick a fight with Turkey for political gain at home.”
The visit, initially arranged in 2023 as part of a diplomatic effort to ease friction between the neighboring NATO members, appeared to be in jeopardy last month when the Greek government called the arrest of İmamoğlu “worrying” and admitted that it had complicated planning for the meeting.
İmamoğlu, a leading opposition figure and potential presidential contender, was arrested on March 19 on charges including corruption and alleged ties to terrorism. His detention has drawn condemnation from Western governments and sparked protests across Turkey, further straining Ankara’s already tense relations with its allies.
The bilateral agenda is also overshadowed by a fresh round of maritime disputes. Last week, Greece published a new marine spatial planning map that Turkey claims encroaches on its jurisdiction in the Aegean Sea. The move rekindled longstanding disagreements over territorial waters and continental shelf rights.
Another point of contention is the planned Great Sea Interconnector—an undersea electricity cable linking Greece, Cyprus, and Israel. Turkey has strongly opposed the project, accusing the involved countries of undermining its regional interests and excluding Turkish Cypriots from key energy decisions.
