George Gerapetritis at the Southwest Conference: ‘Only this government stands consistently for the homeland’

Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis speaking at the 16th conference of ND presented an overall picture of Greece as a country that despite international instability has managed to strengthen its position as never before since post-independence.

Gerapetritis defended the strategy of the Kyriakos Mitsotakis government, essentially saying that the country is no longer passively following developments, but is shaping the terms of the game in the region. The Foreign Minister particularly referred to the moves that he said closed“fifty-year gaps” on national issues. He cited as leading examples the extension of the territorial waters in the Ionian Sea to Cape Tainaro, the delimitation agreements with Italy and Egypt, but also the marine spatial planning, which he described as a historic step, as – as he said – for the first time it institutionally reflects the farthest limits of the Greek continental shelf and the EEZ.

“Greece shows its strength everywhere. It shows it in Europe, it shows it in the United Nations Organization, it shows it in Asia, in Africa, in the United States,” the foreign minister said.

In the same context, he also included the marine environmental parks,saying that they practically strengthen Greek sovereignty over the islands, while he referred separately to the presence of US energy giants Chevron and Exxon in the south of Crete, arguing that these moves constitute an indirect but clear recognition of Greek sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Mr. Gerapetritis also referred to the defensive arm of government policy and said that the period of relative calm with Turkey was used to allow the country to gain valuable time to upgrade the Armed Forces and create a new deterrent grid for the islands and Arakis regions. Gerapetritis said, among other things, that Greece is not only investing in diplomacy, but is also building strong military power and international alliances.

In the international arena, the Foreign Minister said that Greece is a country of increased prestige and influence. He referred to the country’s election to the UN Security Council as an indication of Athens international credibility, noting that Greece is now in the hard core of the European Union, not just participating, but taking initiatives on critical issues such as European defence, the Recovery Fund and immigration policy.

She also made a special reference to the Cyprus issue, saying that thanks to the coordinated action of Athens and Nicosia, the issue has been dynamically put back on the international agenda after years of stagnation. At the same time, he described as a major success of Greek diplomacy the condition set for the participation of third countries in European defence programmes, arguing that now no country that threatens an EU member state can participate without conditions.

Georgos Gerapetritis highlighted the web of international alliances that the government has built with the United States, Israel, India, Egypt and the Gulf countries, describing these relations as an element of the new geopolitical upgrading of Greece. He also cited the management of the migration crisis in the Evros as an example of determination, noting that Greece then proved in practice that it can protect not only the national but also the European borders.

In conclusion, the minister gave a clear political and ideological signal. He contrasted what he called the government’s “responsible patriotism” with the opposition’s “political nihilism”, arguing that at a time of tectonic geopolitical changes, the country needs stability, continuity and strong leadership. Linking the debate to the Greek presidency of the European Council in the second half of 2027, he implicitly posed the dilemma of the next period: who can effectively represent Greece in the crucial decisions coming for Europe and national issues.