Androulakis attends 7th Thessaloniki Summit; comments on upcoming Erdogan visit

The Turkish president "speaks as the representative of a group of countries which are either directly or indirectly opposing the West", he said in reply to a reporter's question about Erdogan's official visit to Athens on Thursday, December 7.

Greece should draw a long-term strategy concerning its relations with Türkiye, added Androulakis. Elaborating, he said that the customs relationship of Türkiye with the European Union is, for PASOK, a rather important issue. If Türkiye "wants to upgrade," he stressed, "there should be built-in sanctions that will be activated when there is a violation of International Law against a European Union country, or violation of fundamental human rights in Türkiye."

"This can done," he said, and "I believe that it is the only way to draw up such a strategy."

Erdogan will be participating in the Greece-Türkiye Supreme Cooperation Council and will also be meeting with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Asked to comment on the latest public opinion polls which show that PASOK fares second party - below ruling New Democracy and, for the first time ever, above Syriza-Progressive Alliance - Androulakis said that "a new cycle has opened" for the party, and that PASOK aims to provide a strong opposition to New Democracy.