NEWS CENTER / Successive developments in the Eastern Mediterranean have ignited a new debate in Greece. While the remarkable military activity in the region brought the balances in the seas back to the agenda, the Greek press began to closely follow Ankara's moves.
Greece-based Europost also addressed the Athens administration in its news item listing remarkable details about Türkiye's naval power.
'11 WARSHIP, 8 SUBMARINES'
Europost wrote that Ankara clearly demonstrated its military power with its naval activities and strengthened its presence in the Eastern Mediterranean. According to the Greek media, Türkiye is preparing to field a powerful fleet consisting of warships and submarines within the scope of comprehensive naval mobility and exercises.
In the news, particular attention was drawn to the Blue Whale 2026 exercise, which was held in the Eastern Mediterranean between 9-20 November. According to the information released to the public, 11 warships, 8 Turkish submarines, 10 aircraft and approximately 4,500 military personnel are participating in the exercise.
While it was stated in the news that 16 of the surface warships belonged to the Turkish navy and the other ships consisted of allied forces, it was stated that "Among the elements of the Turkish navy in the exercise are modern frigates such as TCG Istanbul, as well as older class warships that have been renewed with modernization works."
While evaluating Türkiye's naval power, Europost particularly drew attention to the capacity of its submarine fleet. The news emphasized that the participation of eight submarines in the same exercise is an important element that demonstrates Türkiye's underwater operational capability.
'THE ELEMENT THAT INCREASES TURKISH POWER'
One of the most important details emphasized by the Greek press was the technical capacity of Turkish submarines.
According to the news, Türkiye's eight-submarine force includes Reis class (Type 214TN) submarines with air-independent propulsion system, as well as Preveza and Gür class submarines.
In particular, the anaerobic propulsion system of the Reis-class submarines is important for their ability to operate underwater for longer periods of time. Europost stated that these submarines are among the elements that increase Türkiye's underwater operational power.
However, the scope of the Blue Whale exercise is not limited to the participation of warships and submarines. Anti-submarine warfare, air defense and coordination activities between naval and air forces are also carried out in the exercise.
NATO's Standing Naval Task Group SNMG-2 also takes part in the exercise, in which military elements from 12 countries, including the USA and Pakistan, participate. Thus, a comprehensive military activity is being carried out in the Eastern Mediterranean, bringing together the sea and air elements of many countries.
'ATTENTION-CATCHING TIMING'
Another important topic highlighted in Europost's news was the timing of Türkiye's military mobilization. The Greek media drew attention to the fact that the Blue Whale exercise was carried out at a time when the electricity connection project between Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus (GCASC) was still a matter of debate.
The project, known as the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), aims to connect the electricity networks of Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus with a cable to be laid under the sea.
In this context, the French research ship Abeille Marengo is also at the center of the developments. Europost pointed out the ship's activities in connection with planned project research and claimed that Ankara aimed to maintain its strong military presence in the region and assert its own claims.
'DEVELOPMENT THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED'
According to the Greek press, the fact that the Turkish exercise coincides with a period when the electricity connection project between the two countries is on the agenda is a development that cannot be ignored. It was stated that the presence of many military elements in the same large sea area created an extremely complex picture.
While it was stated in the news that Athens had to closely follow every movement in the region, it was argued that the activities of the Turkish navy were a development that should be carefully evaluated for Greece.
'THAT HAPPENED CANNOT BE ALLOWED'
In the last part of its news, Europost directly targeted the policies of the Greek government. Evaluating that Türkiye has increased its military capacity and activities in the region, the publication questioned what kind of strategy Athens developed against this.
Arguing that the Greek government cannot be satisfied with diplomatic contacts, dialogue statements and summit meetings, Europost wrote that Athens, which wants to assume a more active role in the Eastern Mediterranean, must take concrete steps.
In the news, it was stated that the Greek society was waiting for an explanation from the government about whether there was a comprehensive deterrence plan, and questions were also raised about how effectively international alliances were used and whether concrete guarantees were taken to protect the interests of Greece and the Greek Cypriot Administration of Southern Cyprus.
Europost argued that it was not enough to detect the Turkish navy's activities only after they occurred or to react by waiting for a new diplomatic crisis to arise. Arguing that the Eastern Mediterranean is not a region where fait accompli can be allowed, the publication stated that Ankara's strengthening of its military presence places greater responsibility on the Greek government.
'Will we take action?'
According to the evaluation of the Greek publication, while Türkiye is asserting its military presence in the Eastern Mediterranean with its strong naval elements, modern warships and submarine fleet, the geopolitical competition in the region is gradually intensifying.
Finally, in the news, the question directed to Athens was 'Are we going to take action? Or will we just watch? The question showed that the debate on deterrence and defense strategy in the face of Türkiye's increasing naval power has reignited in Greece.
