Greek MEP Emmanouil Fragkos delivered a blistering attack on Turkey inside the European Parliament, calling Turks "barba...
Written on 10/09/2026
theatlaswiregreece
Greek MEP Emmanouil Fragkos delivered a blistering attack on Turkey inside the European Parliament, calling Turks "barbaric Mongols who ravaged whatever they found from civilization." The remarks were made alongside a video published from the Parliament and have already drawn sharp reactions across Greek and Turkish audiences.
Fragkos did not stop at historical characterizations. He described the period of Ottoman rule as "a millennium of hell" and "a millennium of darkness," framing his comments as the context for a direct political demand. He closed with a blunt call: "We therefore demand sanctions now."
The Greek MEP has a well-established track record of hard-line rhetoric toward Ankara, but this statement stands out for both the language used and the explicit call for EU-level economic measures against Turkey. Fragkos addressed the European Parliament directly, pressing European institutions to take stronger action rather than continue diplomatic engagement with Ankara.
The remarks land at a moment when Greece and Turkey remain at odds over territorial disputes in the Aegean, migration flows, and broader regional security concerns. Greek political figures have been pressing Brussels to adopt a firmer posture toward Turkey for months, though formal sanctions against a NATO member state remain a significant political threshold.
Whether Fragkos' comments prompt any formal parliamentary response or disciplinary review from EU institutions remains to be seen. Turkish officials have not yet issued an official reaction, but the remarks are expected to fuel further friction between Athens and Ankara at the European level.
#Greece #Turkey #EuropeanParliament

