“Any threat to the country’s territorial sovereignty must be taken seriously, especially in the current international circumstances,” the prime minister said. Kyriakos Mitsotakis in an interview with Le Point magazine and a journalist Alexia Kefalas.

On the question of because the latest threats made by the Turkish President should be considered seriousstressed that “we cannot ignore that these statements confirm an aggressive and expansive approach towards Greece.”

He even added that “Turkish challenges should be analyzed in the light of current events: Europe is facing war on its continent for the first time since the end of World War II. It is necessary for my country to preserve international law, the inviolability of borders and the principle of dialogue as the only means of peacefully resolving disputes between countries.”

As to whether he fears that Turkey is behaving in Greece the way Russia is behaving in Ukraine, Mr Mitsotakis stressed that “an armed conflict between two NATO members is basically unthinkable. However, we must not underestimate the inherent risks the current situation.”

He also said that “as I said from the United Nations Hall and I repeat it, the door of dialogue always remains open on my part on the basis of international law, but I will not accept any challenge to sovereignty and the territorial integrity of Greece. We would like to have the best cooperation with Turkey. However, for the time being, my only duty is to protect the security of my country by any means necessary.”

Regarding defense spending, he stressed that “it is true that we have exceeded 2% of GDP. However, we adhere to careful planning based on our needs and available resources. As a member of NATO, we act in accordance with the provisions of the 2014 Defense Investment Program. We do not want to enter into an arms race with Turkey under any circumstances, but we have an obligation to maintain a deterrence force against any attempt to undermine our sovereignty.”

Regarding Turkey’s claim that it feels threatened, he noted that “It is irresponsible for Turkey to say that it feels threatened by our islands when in fact the exact opposite is happening”, and recalled the Turkish army’s invasion of Cyprus in 1974.

For the war in UkraineKyriakos Mitsotakis stressed that “Greece is always on the side of international law, justice and freedom. Since the first day of the Russian attack, we have supported Ukraine by sending humanitarian and military aid. It was a difficult decision, because Greece has historically and traditionally been bound by ties of friendship with the Russian people.”

He also analyzed the strategy of our country in the energy sector and stressed that Greece has become a privileged place for international investors. “They are attracted not only by the political stability of the country, but also by its geographical position, as well as rich human resources,” he said.

Per Tourism he noted that “we are working so that Greece can receive visitors 365 days a year. We are on the right track.”

On the topic 92 refugees and the accusations that our country receives from Turkey for the return of immigrants, he stressed that these accusations are not new.

“We went to the border with the heads of European institutions to send a clear message to Turkey: European borders are inviolable,” he said. And he concluded: “Turkey, of course, has received 4 million refugees on its territory, but this does not mean that we can ignore its refusal to comply with the provisions of the Joint Declaration signed with the EU in 2016, not least because the Union provides generous funds to help refugees meet their needs.”