PM Mitsotakis: I believe that the Turkish policy towards Greece is not easy to change

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in a question about the elections in Turkiye and the Greek-Turkish relations, said the following: "I will not make any predictions about the election result, nor will I express a preference for who will be elected President of Turkiye. I believe that the Turkish policy towards Greece is not easy to change. To the extent that Turkey insists on the 'blue homeland' doctrine, there will be difficulties. Over the last months there has been a substantial easing of Turkiye's rhetoric. One key difference separates us, the demarcation of the maritime zones. I will call to congratulate whoever is elected and I will seek a meeting to set the framework for our relations for the coming years. The basic core of foreign policy, the central political choices do not change. I hope that a favorable ground is found for us to lead to a more permanent de-escalation of Greek-Turkish relations."

When asked if New Democracy (ND) is the first party in the elections next week and what it will do with the mandate to form a government, the prime minister replied: "The election result will also determine the post-election developments. ND will be the big winner of the elections. (PASOK leader Nikos) Androulakis has said that he does not want me as a prime minister, we cannot accept that, the citizens also vote for a prime minister. With Androulakis' PASOK, I have few things to actually discuss, he has moved closer to SYRIZA. I do not consider Androulakis a force for progressive modernization, we will be forced to press the brakes rather than speeding up. I don't think that such a government would serve the interests of the country."