Each day that passes, the Turkish president is demonstrating ever more clearly his aggressiveness, heightening concerns over his intentions in the broader region of the southeastern Mediterranean.

Two days ago, he was threatening that he will flood Europe with a new wave of migrants.

Yesterday, after occupying Afrin, Syria, he threatened that he will invade Iraq, and no one knows whom the Turkish leader might target tomorrow and under what pretext, simply I order to satisfy his megalomania.

The two Greek army officers remain trapped in a Turkish prison, without anyone knowing exactly on what charges, and if and when they will be put on trial.

The Greek government is watching with bewilderment and concern Turkey’s mounting aggressiveness, hoping, as Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias said, that Angela Merkel’s move to broach the issue with Erdogan will bear results.

If one considers, however, that despite persistent German pressure, Erdogan held a German journalist in prison for a year, without any charge having been filed against him, it becomes apparent that there are extremely limited prospects of Merkel’s intervention bearing fruit.

It remains unclear what precisely Athens’ strategy is in the face of such a prospect.

With a defence minister and ruling coalition partner who is pursuing his own agenda on national issues, it appears that the government is at a loss in attempting to forge a unified national strategy, or simply is unable to do so.

Greece does not have the luxury of allowing itself to be divided in the face of a new – and indeed unforeseeable – crisis.
There is a pressing need to flesh out a unified national position that will transcend any petty partisan motives there may be.

It is irrational at this difficult juncture for the channels of communication between the government and the main opposition party to be severed.

It is the responsibility and duty of the government to pursue and secure a minimum understanding and consensus.
Personal egotism and opportunistic objectives have no place when crucial national interests are at stake.