Ekrem İmamoğlu was called "Ekremyannis" by Turkish pro-government newspaper Takvim, accusing him of frequently visiting Greece.
"Greece, which is hostile to President Erdoğan and Turkey, has been a frequent destination for İmamoğlu since the day he took office," commented the publication, noting that the Greek media praise the mayor of Istanbul who was in Greece and "denounced Turkish justice".
The pro-government media in Turkey are attacking İmamoğlu, who is considered a possible main opponent of President Erdoğan in the May elections.
The presence of the mayor of Istanbul in Athens, for the work of the Network of Balkan Cities, as well as the contacts he had with his Athens counterpart Kostas Bakoyannis, were targeted by newspapers and television networks controlled by the Turkish government, who accused him of "endorsement".
Takvim blasted İmamoğlu for his 3rd official visit to Greece, which "persistently antagonises and provokes Turkey", as the publication states.
The report also emphasises that with his statements to the Greek press, the mayor of Istanbul "denounced the independent Turkish judiciary, with false and slanderous statements," referring to his recent conviction that caused strong reactions from the opposition bloc in the country.
From the Greek capital, the mayors of Athens and Istanbul sent messages of democracy, cooperation and unity, with İmamoğlu declaring that looking at the Balkans "he does not see sultans and kingdoms but their democratic tomorrow".
This is considered slander against Erdoğan and his neo-Ottoman dreams.
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