Retired Major General Papanikolaou: Our air force and navy is very powerful, why doesn't Mitsotakis evoke them against Turkey?

Retired Wing Commander Athanasios Papanikolaou spoke on Focus FM 103.6's "Afternoon Magazino" show and with Konstantinos Toutsidis about the Turkish research vessel Piri Reis, which has once again entered the Aegean Sea, as well as Turkey's challenges against Greece and developments in Gaza with Israel and Hamas.

Retired Major General Athanasios Papanikolaou emphasized that Greece has a "very powerful" air force and navy, and questioned why Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is not utilizing them in response to Turkey's persistent provocations.

"This reaction by Netanyahu indicates that Israel's efforts of previous years were not successful," the retired major general said, commenting on the Israeli ground offensive in Gaza.

He also stressed, with regard to the long-suffering civilian population of the region, that "Although at the military level our relations with Israel are very good, we do not agree with everything that is happening there with the civilians."

Papanikolaou also pointed out that "All the attacks that have taken place in Gaza, Yemen, and Qatar indicate that Netanyahu is determined to continue," and also noted that "Turkey may also be a target in the future because Israel is showing that it is determined not to back down."

Regarding the Turkish research vessel Piri Reis, which has once again entered the Aegean Sea, he stressed: "The Turks cannot react against the giant Chevron," pointing out, however, that the Greek government's stance should be completely different.

"Greece must finally understand that any provocation from Turkey should not go unanswered like this. The Greek government must finally stand up to the Turkish government. The Greek people have dug deep into their pockets and paid for the equipment with blood so that we can have a very powerful air force and navy. The Prime Minister must invoke these things at some point. Why doesn't he invoke them? Why this phobic syndrome?" he emphasized.

"Turkey can't cut and sew with a sloppy hand," the former military chief added.

Finally, commenting on the possibility of Turkey being involved in the European SAFE armament program and what is being said about an alleged VETO from our country, he clarified: "There is no possibility for Greece to veto Turkey. Greece and Cyprus cannot do it on their own, it is not foreseen."

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