BRUSSELS – The European Commission’s lackluster initial response to a statement by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying he no longer recognizes Kyriakos Mitsotakis and is severing all ties with the Greek prime minister firmed up later on Wednesday, with a senior official saying that the EU demands respect from its leaders and its Member States.

Kathimerini understands that the change in tone came after Athens’ permanent representation to the European Union expressed dismay at the Commission’s failure to adopt a more definitive position in favor of the Greek member state.

“The EU is facing war, a geopolitical crisis and major economic pressure, so the last thing we need is inflammatory rhetoric and unprovoked attacks and characterizations,” he said. said the vice-president of the Commission for the promotion of the European way of life, Margaritis Schinas, questioned during a conference. press conference on the Turkish president’s remarks and Ankara’s objections to Finland’s and Sweden’s NATO membership.

“We demand and expect respect from all our leaders and all our member states,” he said, adding that neither Finland and Sweden, nor the Greek prime minister “need to prove their democratic credentials. “.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the European External Action Service, Stefano Sannino, “transmitted on Wednesday to Amb. Bozay [Ankara’s permanent representative to the EU] our grave concern over the flights of Turkish military aircraft near the Greek city of Alexandroupolis,” EU officials said on Twitter.

“Respecting international law and refraining from actions undermining cohesion among allies is more important than ever at this critical juncture,” added Sannino, one of the European Commission’s foreign policy chief’s closest aides. Joseph Borrell.