A headline in the Greek newspaper “Dimokratia” has prompted a cross-Aegean diplomatic incident at a time when tensions are high between Athens and Ankara.
A formal protest was filed by the Turkish Foreign Ministry, which summoned the Greek Ambassador to Ankara and lodged a formal complaint over the Athens-based newspaper “Dimokratia,” which carried a front page headline in Turkish that said “Siktir Git Mr. Erdogan,” which translates to “Fuck Off Mr. Erdogan” in its Friday edition.
Greece’s Ambassador to Ankara Michael-Christos Diamessis was presented with a formal complaint.
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called the headline “despicable.”
Evangelos Karambelas poked fun at the news, Tweeting #BREAKING The Greek government, unlike Turkey, doesn’t control the media or imprison journalists. Who is going explain what freedom of speech is to @MevlutCavusoglu? Poor guy seems confused!
The Tweet was in reference to Turkey’s horrific record of being one of the most dangerous places in the world for journalists and a nation that frequently imprisons journalists for opposing the President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The Greek Foreign Ministry, in its response, said that freedom of the press “does not negate the obligation to refrain from insulting the personality of any individual, particularly a foreign leader. The use of offensive language is contrary to our country’s political culture and can only be condemned,” the ministry stated.
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