Turkish forces harassed the Greek state aircraft carrying Defence Minister Nikos Dendias along with French and Dutch planes heading to an informal EU Defence Ministers Council meeting in Nicosia. Two Turkish F-16s scrambled from the occupied airbase at Tymbou and shadowed the European aircraft. An illegal control tower at the same occupied airport interfered with communications. This repeats earlier incidents during previous EU meetings in Cyprus. The provocation occurred while Ankara claims interest in warming Euro-Turkish relations and a UN envoy starts fresh talks. The event gave European ministers a direct example of the ongoing occupation and airspace threat facing Cyprus as an EU member state. No immediate condemnation from the EU or involved ministers has been noted in the report.
Turkish forces harassed the Greek state aircraft carrying Defence Minister Nikos Dendias along with French and Dutch planes heading to an informal EU Defence Ministers Council meeting in Nicosia. Two Turkish F-16s scrambled from the occupied airbase at Tymbou and shadowed the European aircraft. An illegal control tower at the same occupied airport interfered with communications. This repeats earlier incidents during previous EU meetings in Cyprus. The provocation occurred while Ankara claims interest in warming Euro-Turkish relations and a UN envoy starts fresh talks. The event gave European ministers a direct example of the ongoing occupation and airspace threat facing Cyprus as an EU member state. No immediate condemnation from the EU or involved ministers has been noted in the report.
SOURCE: https://x.com/MariosKaratzias/status/2063738189487988890 SOURCE (mirror): https://xcancel.com/MariosKaratzias/status/2063738189487988890
It doesn’t surprise me at all. They really hate each other. Non shooting harassment is not uncommon. Especially when it comes to something in dispute.