The President of the European Commission warns Turkey against ‘intimidating’ neighbours

Brussels, (ST) – The European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Wednesday warned Turkey against trying to intimidate Greece and Cyprus, as tensions grow over energy reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.

In her annual State of the EU speech, Ursula von der Leyen said that, “Ankara was a key partner doing important work hosting refugees, but stressed none of this is justification for attempts to intimidate its neighbors“.

Greece and Cyprus can count on Europe’s “full solidarity on protecting their legitimate sovereignty rights”, she added.

The Turkish regime continues its provocations against neighboring countries in pursuit of its plans and ambitions, which is met with international condemnation, as seven member states of the European Union overlooking the Mediterranean announced in a recent joint statement their willingness to support the imposition of sanctions against Turkey at the end of this month if it did not stop its provocations against Greece and Cyprus.

In another context, the President, Von der Leyencalled on all member states of the European Union to intensify their efforts on the issue of immigration, stressing that the whole of Europe must do its share of work and move unified to solve the problem of the refugees of the Greek camp of Moria, which was destroyed by a fire.

Von der Leyen warned that “any nationalist and selfish stance regarding vaccines for the Coronavirus will threaten human lives, while cooperation around these vaccines saves these lives,” calling for cooperation in efforts to combat this pandemic.

Raghda Sawas