Turkish aircraft entered Greek airspace without permission 128 times last month, Greek newspaper To Vima reported on Monday.
The violations were made by 73 aircraft, which included seven fighter jets carrying weapons, To Vima said citing a statement by Greece’s National Defence General Staff (GEETHA). The planes failed to submit necessary flight plans, it said.
There were an additional 66 violations of air traffic rules, and six overflights over Greek islands, the newspaper reported.
Turkey and Greece have argued for decades over territory in the Aegean and Mediterranean. Mock dogfights between planes of the two countries’ air forces have occurred on a regular basis. Athens and Ankara are also at loggerheads over maritime boundaries.
Greek and Turkish officials resumed exploratory talks to help resolve their territorial differences last week after a break of more than four years. Athens and Ankara have been clashing for months over maritime borders and rights to explore for hydrocarbons in the Mediterranean. The next bilateral meeting will be held in late February or March, ahead of a European Union summit, Greek daily Kathimerini reported last week.
In early January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan accused Greece of raising tensions in the Aegean and violating Turkish airspace, as well as engaging in what he called illegal actions over Greek islands.
Ahval