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Greece may say no to Turkey for extradition: journalist

Friday, 19 August 2016 7:38 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 19 August 2016 7:39 AM ]

A Turkish officer escorted by Greek police enters to the courthouse of Alexandroupoli near the Greek-Turkish border, on July 21, 2016. (Photo by AFP)

Press TV has conducted an interview with David Lindorff, an investigative journalist from Philadelphia, about the Turkish government’s demand from Athens to extradite eight military officers who fled to Greece after the July 15 failed coup in Turkey.

The following is a rough transcription of the interview.

Press TV: Do you think Greek officials will give into the Turkish pressure?

Lindorff: That’s hard to say. There’s no love lost between Greece and Turkey. Obviously, the two countries fought hot wars over the years; they’re in dispute over Cyprus all the time. And so, it wouldn’t surprise me if they just ignore the request or turn it down.

On the other hand, the interesting twist in this is the new rapprochement between Turkey and Russia, because Greece is also anxious to cultivate better relations with Russia as a possible wedge to get better deals from the countries in Europe that have been screwing them in this debt crisis.

So, who knows, they might decide to sell out the coup plotters that are in the country asking for asylum in order to cultivate better relations with Russia.

Press TV: And I would imagine, Mr. Lindorf, because Greece is such an important place for especially migrant arrivals that plays a factor in all this, doesn’t it? They want to keep Turkey happy. All of Europe to an extent wants to keep Turkey happy, doesn’t it?

Lindorff: Yeah, I had thought of that too. I mean Erdogan has been using the spigot that he controls over refugees from Syria going into Europe, which usually means going through Greece as a device to win concessions from Europeans and in this case maybe from the Greeks.

Press TV: Is the issue of a fair trial that’s what the eight who are currently in Greece right now say they will not get a fair trial to go to Turkey? Is that a valid concern?

Lindorff: Oh, absolutely. I mean Erdogan has already fired 1,200 judges from their legal system that’s some astonishing number. He’s definitely put his foot down on top of the judiciary in Turkey, which had a history of being fairly independent of the government.

So, the chances that any of these people arrested under the charges of attempting a coup will get a fair trial are close to zero, I would think.

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