Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan went on another provocative and delirious rant, unleashing threats against Greece, even addressing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakisin a direct way.
In particular, the Turkish president, speaking at the opening of an educational institution, made a special reference to the Greek prime minister, saying: "Look, Mitsotakis, you're talking here and there again. Keep in mind that the Crazy Turks will come if you attempt to make a mistake."
"(Greece) When you attempt to arm the Islands, will we be standing idle with our hands tied?" he added.
President @RTErdogan:
"(Greece) When you attempt to arm the Islands, will we be standing idle with our hands tied ?"
— Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications (@Communications) January 20, 2023
The special reference to the prime minister comes a few hours after Mitsotakis' interview with the well-known CNN journalist Fareed Zakaria at the Davos Economic Forum.
Commenting on the Greek-Turkish developments, Mitsotakis predicted that "we will not go to war with Turkey, but in the last three years we have experienced many tensions and not only over Kastellorizo".
We should be able to sit down with Turkey as reasonable adults and resolve our main difference, which is the delimitation of maritime zones in the Aegean and the eastern Mediterranean," he underlined.
Furious about the cover of the Economist
Earlier, Erdoğan did not hide his irritation with the Economist magazine, which in its latest edition describes him as a "bully" who is leading Turkey intoa dictatorship. At the same time, he found the opportunity to attack Greece again for equipping the islands.
After the Friday prayer, the Turkish president said of the Economist: “Can the British magazine determine the fate of Turkey? My nation is what defines it. What my nation says will determine what happens in Turkey."
Commenting on Greece's arming, Erdoğan said: "By arming the islands, they are taking opposite steps regarding the Treaty of Lausanne and other agreements. What Mitsotakis states is not enough to determine the fate of the region."
"We are doing what is necessary and will say what is necessary in international meetings, let the Greeks take care of themselves," he added.
Eπίθεση Ερντογάν κατά Μητσοτάκη: Οι δηλώσεις του δεν αλλάζουν τη μοίρα της περιοχής – Η Ελλάδα στρατιωτικοποιεί τα νησιά παρά τη Συνθήκη της Λωζάνηςhttps://t.co/fm1mdrZWv7 pic.twitter.com/q9aF4JJpeo
— ΕΛΛΑΔΑ 24 (@ellada24) January 20, 2023
Anger in Ankara over 'Bully Erdoğan Leading to Dictatorship' by Economist
Meanwhile, there seems to be great irritation in Turkey after the Economist's catapult article on Erdoğan in which he is described as a "bully" who is leading Turkey to dictatorship.
This follows from the fact that the press representative of the Turkish presidency, Fahrettin Altun, needed a total of seven posts on Twitter to respond to what is mentioned in the article published a few hours after the Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu-AntonyBlinken meeting in Washington on Wednesday night.
The press representative of the Turkish presidency, in fact, uses heavy characterisations for the Economist.
"Here we go again! The Economist recycles its intellectually lazy, dull, and purposefully ignorant depiction of Türkiye. It seems like they feel obligated to announce the end of Turkish democracy through regurgitating cliches, misinformation and blatant propaganda," he said.
"Outrageous headlines and provocative imagery might help them sell their so-called journal, so we congratulate them on their ingenious marketing techniques! But we must remind audiences that this is sensationalist journalism based on cheap propaganda and disinformation."
Outrageous headlines and provocative imagery might help them sell their so-called journal, so we congratulate them on their ingenious marketing techniques! But we must remind audiences that this is sensationalist journalism based on cheap propaganda and disinformation.
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) January 19, 2023
"Turkish people have demonstrated their commitment to democracy, equality, and freedom time and again. Our political system has undergone many tribulations including a treacherous coup attempt in 2016 when our people spilled their blood to save our democracy."
"When our President Erdogan called on our citizens to resist the putschists, their response was a lesson for the ages. The so-called journalists and editors at the Economist obviously never bothered to provide decent journalism on our people’s struggle for our democracy."
When our President Erdogan called on our citizens to resist the putschists, their response was a lesson for the ages. The so-called journalists and editors at the Economist obviously never bothered to provide decent journalism on our people’s struggle for our democracy.
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) January 19, 2023
"This is largely due to their inexplicable and ongoing hatred against our democratically elected President, who has won every election he has entered. If you can’t be bothered to investigate how and why the Turkish public trusts Erdogan, why should anyone take you seriously?!
"Our country is headed for yet another election season where there is a vibrant debate about how to solve our challenges. There is real democratic politics taking place and the opposition has been trying to figure out their strategy for months now.
Our country is headed for yet another election season where there is a vibrant debate about how to solve our challenges. There is real democratic politics taking place and the opposition has been trying to figure out their strategy for months now.
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) January 19, 2023
Our country is headed for yet another election season where there is a vibrant debate about how to solve our challenges. There is real democratic politics taking place and the opposition has been trying to figure out their strategy for months now.
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) January 19, 2023
Turkish democracy’s vibrancy and our people’s ownership of their political system are very strong. I am convinced the Economist will never bother to report on what is actually going on in Türkiye. I just want to warn unsuspecting readers about their sad state!
Turkish democracy’s vibrancy and our people’s ownership of their political system are very strong. I am convinced the Economist will never bother to report on what is actually going on in Türkiye. I just want to warn unsuspecting readers about their sad state!
— Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) January 19, 2023
The Economist article
The new issue of the Economist magazine is published under the title "Turkey's Looking Dictatorship: A Special Report on Erdogan's Empire" and has an image of the Turkish flag in the form of Erdoğan in the crescent on the cover.
Even The Economist in its main article underlines that "Mr Erdogan’s behaviour as the election approaches could push what is today a deeply flawed democracy over the edge into a full-blown dictatorship."
The article also states that he is gradually assimilating the roles of prime minister, party president and central banker into his powers.
