Former PMs decry gov’t foreign policy
Two former Greek prime ministers delivered sharp criticism of the current government’s foreign policy during a book presentation on Tuesday at the War Museum in Athens, creating fresh tensions within Greece’s ruling conservative party.
Antonis Samaras, expelled from ND last year, launched a fierce attack on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ administration, accusing it of inaction and weakness on national security issues. Speaking without party constraints, Samaras expressed deep concerns about Greek-Turkish relations and broader policy failures.
“We don’t have a deficit of strategy but a surplus of naivety,” he said, while also stressing that “we don’t have calm waters because Turkiye isn’t threatening us, but because we aren’t reacting.”
Kostas Karamanlis adopted a more measured tone but still criticized current policies. He emphasized presenting Turkiye’s true nature as a revisionist power and opposed Turkish participation in European defense initiatives, including the SAFE program.
“Brussels applies double standards, especially regarding its stance toward Russia and Turkiye,” Karamanlis said, warning of regional instability from the Israel-Iran conflict and the Ukraine war’s implications.
Mitsotakis responded with a unity message defending his government’s economic, security and foreign policy initiatives. The PM warned critics to exercise caution when discussing national issues publicly, in apparent reference to Samaras.
Kathimerini
