As the world watches closely the dangerous developments in Ukraine after Russia’s invasion, and amid general turmoil and uncertainty the conflict is causing on the global stage, it seems Turkish journalists on the CNN Turk network have found the ‘perfect’ opportunity to push official Turkish expansionist policies and anti-Greek propaganda by adopting and promoting the unfounded and perilous narrative wholesale that Greece is illegally ‘occupying’ islands in the Aegean Sea and Turkey should act.
The reporters express “fears” of a possible Greek attack on Turkey, presenting maps of Greek islands saying are “illegally” occupied and proposing their future occupation by Turkey…These views were not presented on any fringe random TV station, but on one of the largest news networks in the country.
CNN Turk journalist Basak Sengül showed a background map of the “illegally” armed islands of Greece. Initially, she posed her “concern” saying: “Greece armed the islands which had to be disarmed. After all, in this regard, Turkey has recently started to raise its objections at the highest levels and stated that the necessary things will be done. Is there a question of whether there can be a provocation on the part of Greece against Turkey, as was the case with Russia?” Sengül went on to wonder: “In the next period regarding Turkey, is there any thought for a similar move?”
In the same line of reasoning and fear-mongering propaganda, sociologist and journalist Hulki Tzevizoglou says that Turkey should seek ways to take back the islands from Greece: “Now we must not fall into the trap, but also somehow get back our occupied islands. Is it because of this problem (Ukraine) that we overlook the fact that some of our islands have been occupied? Should we remain idle? Our islands were occupied, Alexandroupolis was armed and Greece is constantly harassing Turkey,” Tzevizoglou concluded provocatively.