Greece has expressed its confidence that it can defend itself while also highlighting that all the scheming by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has amounted to nothing.
"Erdoğan's tactics have not yielded the desired results," said Greek Deputy Defence Minister Alkiviadis Stefanis, speaking to Star's main news bulletin.
"By trying to mobilise forces inside Turkey, it is activating others that are turning against it," he said, referring to Turkey's confrontation with France and other countries.
Stefanis described the "many fronts on which Turkey has opened up at different levels" in the region, and said: "What we are saying in Turkey is that we can find common ground, but we must in the context of mutual respect and not in the context of enforcement."
Regarding the Greek stance, the Deputy Minister of National Defense added: "What we are doing is analyzing Turkey's activities and the different stages of reaction. Our country will ensure its inalienable right to ensure our independence."
He added that multilateral Greek diplomacy and defence diplomacy are doing what they need to do, while at the same time, the Armed Forces are examining every possibility and what they can do "and if necessary they will do it."
"The armed forces know what they are doing and they are doing it right," he said.
Stefanis also referred to the pressure Greece faces on its land and sea borders with illegal migration flows, assuring that "the deterrence is very strong and our actions are decisive with the help of the EU."
As indicated on Wednesday, more than 20 attempts were made to enter the country illegally from different places, with the number of people who attempted it approaching 300.
"We have to convey the message to the Greek people that we know what we are doing and we are doing it right. We must look to the future with optimism," he said.
