Costas Venizelos
Playing with fire and making full use of his military power, the Turkish President chooses hard poker in his games in the Eastern Mediterranean. This is because he is in a hurry in view of 2023, when the 100th anniversary of the Turkish state will be celebrated, in order to have results with the “Blue Homeland”, but also the wider expansion plans in the region.
At the same time, 2023 will be an election year in Turkey and in view of the fact that the polls show that his influence on the voters is decreasing, he is trying to react and come back strongly. Therefore, it seems that both the 100 years and the elections (trying to bring the nationalists together), which can be accelerated, are incentives to take extreme action.
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In the fields of its movements, which concern Cyprus, are mainly the actions at sea with the aim of challenging the EEZ of Cyprus, to carry out research and drilling, without, according to information, disturbing the foreign companies, which are licensed in sea plots. of the Republic of Cyprus. The fleet with the research and the drilling rigs of the Turkish state company TRAO, will be with the support of warships in the area, without being excluded to move to the sea of Greece (between Cyprus and Kastelorizo).
At the same time, on the ground, two designs are in place. The first concerns the enclosed area of Famagusta, in which the works for its opening continue with the ultimate goal of its settlement. The second plan concerns the military upgrade of the occupied territories. This upgrade – a base of unmanned aircraft in Lefkonikos, a naval base in Bogazi – concerns the broader plans and not necessarily the free areas. The strengthening and upgrading of the military presence in the occupied territories is directed against the states hostile to Turkey in the region. It is no coincidence that Turkish officials have stated that Turkish drones can reach as far as Egypt. At the same time, although not high on the agenda – it is not a priority – the Turks have not abandoned the issue of the annexation of the occupied territories and the recognition of the pseudo-state. Two ventures that face many difficulties and obstacles, a fact that Ankara is aware of.
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