ATHENS – “Being a European is a matter of having a European consciousness and faith in the principles of European Democracy and European culture,” stated President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos on Tuesday, replying to the Turkish leadership’s recent references to Turkey’s relationship with Europe. The president was speaking at an event for the presentation and incorporation of the traditional costume of Thrace in the Presidential Guard’s National Traditional Costumes Archive.

“They claim to be European. If only they meant it,” underlined Pavlopoulos, while adding that Turkey was, unfortunately, distancing itself more and more distancing from European principles and values. “It does this without considering the consequences, which concern not only peace in the region but also its own people,” he said.

“We are here to co-exist and to jointly create but we are also here to defend our rights, not only in accordance with history but also in accordance with International and European Law…As guarantors of international and of the European law, we will ensure its implementation. In this we are not alone, as everyone knows. We are not alone because everyone recognises the right of Greece, which is also a European and an International right,” Pavlopoulos added.

The president underlined that Greeks are always united in the big and important things: “We have learned from the past and we will not repeat the same mistakes. This is a message to all directions.”

President of the Hellenic Republic Prokopios Pavlopoulos. (Photo by Eurokinissi/ Stelios Missinas)

(Photo by Eurokinissi/ Stelios Missinas)