“Arrows” against her Turkey appointed Regional Governor of Central Macedonia Apostolos Tsizikostaswho said he was convinced that his seven-hour detention in Izmir was due to a man-made error and not a technical error, as claimed by the neighboring country’s authorities.

In fact, Mr. Tsitsikostas expressed his belief that the deep state in Turkey has become very strong and that the country is heading towards extremes, probably without a return.

Chronicle of the Turkish provocation in Smyrna

“A month ago we opened a new ferry service between Thessaloniki and Izmir, I decided to go on this ship to Izmir for this meeting that was to be held, a Euro-Mediterranean, very important meeting of a European official institution, which I would like to chair. As soon as the ship arrived in Izmir and after the reception of the local authorities, where I was also invited, this problem arose when passing through passport control,” the Governor of Central Macedonia explained to SKAI.

When asked if the Turkish authorities knew about him, he replied: “The assembly has been known for a year. We were invited by the municipality of Smyrna, which is responsible for this year’s event. In my European capacity, I would preside. I have been to Turkey in the past and the name was announced in the flyers for this event. It is not a municipal organization, but an official European institution, that is the difference.”

“When the Turkish police entered my name into the computers, there was a stir. They started talking to each other in Turkish, making phone calls, you understand that after three minutes I asked the municipal officials who came to greet me, and they told me: “Don’t worry, Mr. President, it was obviously a mistake.”

However, it was then announced to Mr. Tsitsikostas that he was banned from entering Turkey: “People from the municipality were in a very difficult situation, no doubt, and they took me to a room in the Turkish police office in the port of Izmir until an explanation was given. With me was the Consul General of Greece in Smyrna (…).”

“When I saw that the Turks were not going to give me an explanation, I contacted the prime minister, the foreign minister, the EU. and its competent services, the ambassadors of Greece and the EU. phone calls and pressure started in Ankara.”

The governor said he waited seven hours between the office and the ship before being told the ban would be lifted. But at that moment he made his own decision, and there was no way he could stay in Turkey.

“I wanted to fly at the same time, I didn’t have the opportunity, the ship left after 24 hours, there were no flights from Izmir, I didn’t want to fly through Istanbul, and also, until the ban was lifted, I couldn’t fly from the port area.”

“No Error”

As Apostolos Tsizikostas stressed about his decision to leave: “In a mission abroad, we represent not ourselves abroad, but Greeks, and I am not going to put up with any insult at the expense of any Greek, ever. The dignity of the Greeks is indisputable to me.”

“There is no error or synonymy. They underestimate our intelligence and convince no one. This is not a technical error, it was an artificial error. In the context of the challenges, there was this incident, it seems that in Turkey the deep state has become much stronger in recent years, there is slippage at the ends of Turkey, I am afraid that this road is irrevocable, the road that deepens the gap between Turkey and the EU,” said the regional governor Central Macedonia.

“This time they personified him, and in fact an official who visited the country not with his Greek, but with his European identity,” he said.

However, he clarified that “the mayor of Istanbul, Mr. Imamoglu, and the mayor of Smyrna were on my side, their attitude is really wonderful, they contacted me to express their anger and regret.”

Finally, he stated that no reason was given for why he was banned. In this context, he asked that the strengthening of the deep state in Turkey concern not only Greece, but also the European Union.