Greece Asks EU to Impose Sanctions Against Turkey for Illegal Fishing, Reports Say

MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias sent a letter to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell asking for sanctions to be imposed against Turkey for illegal fishing activities in Greek territorial waters and the provocative behavior of the Turkish coast guard, Greek media reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

"The above repeated Turkish practice creates a dangerous security environment and increases the risk of an 'accident' that could then be instrumentalised by Ankara in order to scale up tension between Greece and Turkey," Dendias wrote in the letter as quoted by Athens News Agency on Wednesday.

The diplomat also stressed the need to take countermeasures if Turkey continues its illegal actions, demanding that Turkish fish products be banned from the EU market, according to the news outlet. Dendias added that such a reaction could serve as a warning sign for Turkey and would demonstrate the European Union's solidarity with Greece on this issue.

On January 5, as the Greek Coast Guard boat was attempting to identify three Turkish fishing vessels that were illegally fishing near the island of Farmakonisi in the Aegean Sea, a Turkish patrol boat tried to ram it. Greek officers fired warning shots to deter the Turkish vessel.

Turkey and Greece have been at odds for decades, with the risk of an armed conflict arising several times since 2020. Disputed issues include competing territorial claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, in particular in the region of the Aegean Sea, the Greek-Turkish divide in Cyprus, and the delimitation of maritime borders.