BRUSSELS — Vice-President of the European Commission for Promoting European Way of Life Margaritis Schinas expressed his view that it is "perhaps the biggest and maybe the last opportunity for Turkey to get back on the path of de-escalation and dialogue," speaking on Friday evening at the general assembly of the Federation of Industries of Greece (SVE), held via video conference.

His comments came in view of the upcoming EU Summit of September 24-25, expected to focus heavily on unfolding tensions in the eastern Mediterranean.

"It must be made clear in every direction – and I believe it has already been made clear – that no one can blackmail Europe with yells or threats. It is time for Turkey to decide whether it should participate in the table of an honest and fruitful dialogue with its neighbors and the EU as a whole, or whether it should look for another place in the world, with other allies. As far as we are concerned, we are looking for a framework of Euro-Turkish reference – one that will definitively protect Greek and Cypriot national aspirations – to come about by the time of the EU Summit of September 24-25," he stressed.

Turkey is "a great and difficult partner for Greece and Europe, but this relationship is not a given or exists by default, but must be built and proven in practice," he noted.