Türkiye is voicing the truth regarding the terrorist presence in Greece’s Lavrion camp, Deputy Interior Minister Ismail Çataklı said on Sunday, rejecting Athens’ claims on Turkish provocations.
Çataklı’s words came after Greek Minister of Citizen Protection Takis Theodorikakos accused Türkiye of provocation, saying: “Recent statements by the Turkish Minister of Interior Süleyman Soylu, about Lavrion are provocative and have no relation to reality.”
Çataklı responded on Twitter that Ankara does not provoke and does not “hesitate to say the truth that the whole world already knows.”
“We warn the Greek Minister! Do not support or condone terrorist organizations,” he added and published photos of the camp showing flags of the PKK as well as its jailed leader Abdullah Öcalan.
Soylu has frequently accused Athens and warned that Lavrion has turned into a terrorist camp.
Greece has long been accused of being a favorite hideout for terrorists from the DHKP-C and PKK. Those fleeing Türkiye have taken shelter in refugee camps in Lavrion near Athens under the guise of being asylum-seekers, especially in the 1980s. Despite the closure of Lavrion in 2013 amid pressure from Türkiye, Greece continues to be the primary destination for DHKP-C terrorists.
Furthermore, a diplomatic official has told Daily Sabah recently that “there is everything ranging from the DHKP-C, the PKK and FETÖ (Gülenist Terror Group) and the location of all of them is known.”
The aim is that these groups could be used one day against Türkiye, the official said. “An EU member country in the 21st century is openly feeding terrorists. The PKK is a terrorist group and designated as such by both the EU and the U.S.”
“Athens is not a transit country for terrorists anymore, but the direct target country.”
Separately, Theodorikakos also rejected claims of pushbacks of irregular migrants in the Aegean, which have been continuously recorded on video and documented by international humanitarian groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.
“Greece is a democratic country, exercising its sovereign right to protect its borders, in full respect of international law,” the Greek minister said defending their actions.
Türkiye and Greece have been key transit points for migrants looking to cross into Europe, fleeing war and persecution to start new lives. Türkiye has accused Greece of large-scale pushbacks, summary deportations and denying migrants access to asylum procedures, violating international law. Ankara also accuses the European Union of turning a blind eye to this blatant human rights abuse.
Pushbacks are contrary to international refugee protection agreements, which dictate that people should not be expelled or returned to a country where their life and safety might be in danger due to their race, religion, nationality or membership in a social or political group.
