Watch out for the spillover effect
The Turkish presidential race kicked off yesterday and the days until May 16 are extremely crucial for our eastern neighbors – but not just for them. The possible candidacy of the country’s Islamic-leaning Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan for the country’s top job, combined with pressure for the creation of an independent Kurdish state on the country’s eastern border, have tilted Turkey onto a potentially dangerous, transitional track. Add to this the diluting effect of Ankara’s European Union bid on the Turkish state and it becomes clear that this is the beginning of a long period of changes that cannot be predicted in their entirety. Greece must keep a close eye on developments. Greek officials must be in close contact with their allies and keep their cool, especially if Turkey’s domestic crisis begins to spill over.
