6 hours agoGreece-Russia relations cancelled, Athens ousts Putin diplomats
Periskopi(8 years ago)
(8 years ago)The Greek government has demanded the expulsion of two Russian diplomats due to their involvement in spying issues and interference in internal affairs. Government sources told the newspaper “Kathmerini” that Russian diplomats have committed illegal actions against national security, trying to obtain information through bribery to public officials. Diplomat [...]
Government sources told the newspaper “Kathmerini” that Russian diplomats have committed illegal actions against national security, trying to obtain information through bribery to public officials. Russian diplomats have offered Nazi incentives to influence certain municipalities and mitropolis in the country and to extend insult on Mount Athos.
Efforts were made to buy officials, which, according to Kathimerini, failed. Interventions targeted particularly sensitive national issues and Greece's interests in the Balkans, where the name dispute with Macedonia was mentioned.
According to “Kathmerini”, Athens' decision is not a “rruge in the open sky”, but it comes in response after a series of coordinated movements of efforts to expand Russian influence in Greece. Diplomatic sources said that these movements include activities of various circles representing Russian interests as the Imperial Orthodox Union of Palestine. Athens' reaction is, among other things, a message to Moscow.
This case points to sub-regard tensions that seem to exist in the last two years between Athens and Moscow, for reasons related to the overall security environment in the region, writes Respublica.
According to high diplomatic sources, these actions undermine friendship between the two peoples and Russia's image in Greece, and are part of a systematic effort in violation of international sovereignty and law.
Despite that, the paper writes that Greece still wants to maintain good relations with Russia, to promote friendship between two peoples, the co-operation of their governments and civil society on both sides.
However, this can only be based on equality and mutual respect on the condition of sovereignty and the independence of the two countries. Athens has been very cautious in managing Greek-Russian relations.
In the case of former agent Sergei Scripal, the Greek government did not follow the example of other Western countries that expelled Russian diplomats, as a sign of solidarity with Britain.
