Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis categorically disagreed with statements made by former deputy minister of the Karamanlis government (2004-2009) Giannis Valinakis in his interview with parapolika.gr (22/10/2025). Responding to questions from political correspondents during a briefing, Marinakis rejected the former minister’s claim that the multilateral 5X5 scheme “is a plan of Turkish inspiration.”
As he stated, “it is not a plan of Turkish inspiration, it is a proposal based on a series of common demands that can be promoted by countries facing common dangers. Greece does not relate this specific proposal to anything concerning the long-standing pursuit of national interests. It is clear, it has been stated at all levels, it has been made clear that we do not put sovereignty issues on the table. We will never negotiate red line issues. Any further discussion we will have only on the basis of International Law and regarding the one and only difference we have with Turkey, concerning the demarcation of EEZ and continental shelf. Beyond that, however, I think there are issues, such as addressing challenges and migration crises, that can be discussed with states that have similar challenges to face.”
Pavlos Marinakis: “So-called patriots” those who criticize the government
Marinakis characterized those who criticize the government as “so-called patriots,” categorically rejecting the possibility of putting “unreasonable demands” on the dialogue agenda while simultaneously defending the government’s foreign policy: “when we reach the point where this discussion takes place, there will obviously be a relevant agenda. Second, Turkey has chronically promoted unreasonable demands both domestically and internationally, demands against International Law, ahistorical positions. The difference between then and now is that now it gets its answers. Both Greek positions and much more so Western positions are vindicated. How many years has Turkey been talking about casus belli? Who was the first Prime Minister who after 30 years raised the issue of lifting the casus belli for any discussion by Turkey on armament issues? And many others that we see developing as the years go by.
You know, the difference between many so-called patriots and Kyriakos Mitsotakis is that the former rely on headlines and, moreover, often on misleading headlines, ‘Erdogan took everything’ and the like, while Kyriakos Mitsotakis relies on results: EEZ with Italy, EEZ with Egypt, extension to 12 nautical miles in the Ionian, maritime spatial planning, Rafale, Bellara, F16, F35, which for us are givens and for others are sought after with very significant conditions – that’s the difference.”
It should be recalled that Giannis Valinakis in the same interview responded for the first time to the prime minister’s claims that no “significant initiative in Greek-Turkish relations” had been undertaken during the 2004-2009 period. The former deputy minister defended the policy pursued on national issues during Dora Bakoyannis’ tenure at the Foreign Ministry, emphasizing “she was anything but inactive and indeed promoted national interests with combativeness.”
