Kyrtsos slams Greek Government: “Türkiye is making history at the table while Greece just watches”

Former Member of the European Parliament Giorgos Kyrtsos has launched a scathing attack on the Mitsotakis government, accusing it of failing to grasp Türkiye’s growing diplomatic influence in the Middle East.

“Türkiye was at the table; Greece was merely watching,” Kyrtsos said, arguing that President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has become not only a key regional actor but also “the representative of the Muslim world” on the global stage.

According to Kyrtsos, Türkiye played an active role in recent Gaza ceasefire talks, coordinating closely with the United States and Qatar, while Athens misjudged the gravity of the situation — a mistake he described as a serious strategic failure.

“Diplomacy Happens on the Ground, Not in the Studio”

Kyrtsos criticized the government’s dependence on media narratives, saying:

“SKAI television claimed Erdoğan returned empty-handed from Washington, while in fact Ankara was steering the negotiations.”

His remarks reinforced growing domestic criticism that Greece has become a commentator rather than a player in diplomacy.

Social Media Warning to the Government

Posting on X (formerly Twitter), Kyrtsos openly admonished senior officials:

“Mitsotakis, Gerapetritis, and Ambassador Papadopoulou failed to notice what was happening in the corridors of the UN General Assembly. Erdoğan faced Trump as the representative of the Muslim world. Trump asked him to use his influence over Hamas to facilitate the deal. Erdoğan did so in coordination with Qatar — and Turkey’s role rose accordingly.
Mitsotakis, meanwhile, believed the SKAI narrative that Erdoğan canceled the meeting out of fear. The truth was the opposite. This is a government tragedy disguised as comedy.”

Greek Media Echoes the Criticism

The newspaper Documento, a strong critic of the government, headlined the story, calling Mitsotakis’s cabinet “a government tragedy in the guise of comedy.” Other outlets have echoed the sentiment, lamenting that “while history was being written, Greece was just watching the news.”

Conclusion: Ankara at the Table, Athens in Debate

As Türkiye consolidates its role as an active mediator in regional crises, Greece faces internal reckoning over its perceived diplomatic inertia. Kyrtsos’s words are being viewed as a rare moment of self-reflection within Greece’s political establishment — and as evidence that Athens can no longer ignore Ankara’s growing clout.