Athens Unaware of Instances of Turkish Journalists Facing Harassment in Greece
ATHENS, September 3- Athens is unaware of any instances of Turkish journalists facing harassment while attempting to report in the country, Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday, after reporters from Turkey’ s state-run Anadolu news agency said that they were threatened after traveling to the island of Kastellorizo.
ATHENS, September 3 (Sputnik) – Athens is unaware of any instances of Turkish journalists facing harassment while attempting to report in the country, Greek government spokesman Stelios Petsas said on Thursday, after reporters from Turkey’s state-run Anadolu news agency said that they were threatened after traveling to the island of Kastellorizo.
“As for the journalists who are on Kastellorizo, we do not know of any concerns that would have been raised regarding their safety or any obstacles [to their work],” the government spokesman said at a press briefing.
Several Anadolu reporters who traveled to the Greek island, which is located just one mile off the Turkish coast and has become the epicenter of an ongoing seismic survey dispute between Athens and Ankara, have said that they were threatened by Greek individuals who managed to obtain their passport data.
Fahrettin Altun, the communications director of the Turkish presidency, has threatened Athens with consequences should the aforementioned Anadolu reporters face harassment or assault while on the Greek island.
Tensions have flared in the region as Turkish vessels conduct seismic surveys for the purpose of hydrocarbon drilling in territory that Greece deems to be part of its exclusive economic zone. On Monday, the Turkish authorities extended a Navtex advisory for surveys in the disputed region until September 12.
Ankara has said that it is open to holding talks with Greece to find a solution to the ongoing dispute over territorial rights in the region.