In Athens, scandalous slogans directed at Turkey by Greek naval officers during a parade caused outrage. An investigation into the soldiers’ discipline has been initiated, while the Greek opposition criticized the army leadership.

During a military parade yesterday in Athens, a section of the Greek Navy Petty Officer School’s use of profane slogans led to an uproar. Videos shared on social media showed the group chanting “Cyprus is Greek” and using vulgar expressions towards Turkey. Sources from the Greek Ministry of National Defense confirmed the authenticity of the video containing profanity. According to the Greek press, the Greek Navy General Staff initiated a sworn administrative investigation to examine the circumstances and reasons for the profane slogans, determine responsibilities, and enforce appropriate disciplinary measures. Michalis Katrinis from the opposition PASOK-Movement for Change also expressed his reaction to the incident.

“EXTREMIST ELEMENTS” CRITICISM Katrinis, in a social media post, stated, “The Armed Forces need officers with high levels of professionalism and competence, not extremist elements.” Katrinis criticized the leadership of the Ministry of National Defense, writing, “The profanity heard during the parade confirms that the Ministry of Defense did not apply control and supervision. What they did afterward does not rectify the situation or alleviate the negative impressions.” The Greek opposition party Radical Left Coalition SYRIZA also deemed the slogans unacceptable and called for an investigation into the incident.

STATEMENT FROM TURKEY Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs sources described the slogans chanted during the parade in Athens as “brazen.” Information obtained from sources indicated that this behavior, aimed at undermining Turkey-Greece relations, was deemed unacceptable, and explanations were requested from Greek authorities.