Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has filed a lawsuit against the editors of Greek newspaper ‘Dimokratia’ for an insulting headline, state-run news agency Anadolu reported on Monday.
Both in Turkish and English, the newspaper wrote “f*ck you, Mr Erdogan” noting that this should be the response of Greece to Erdogan’s demands.
Ankara described the headline as “despicable” and on Friday Greek ambassador to Turkey Michael-Christos Diamessis was summoned at the Foreign Ministry for a rebuke.
The Greek Foreign Ministry strongly condemned the newspaper’s vulgar language and said in a statement that freedom of expression and freedom of the Press are fully protected in Greece.
“But this fact does not negate the obligation to refrain from insulting the personality of any individual, particularly a foreign leader,” it also said.
“The use of offensive language is contrary to our country’s political culture and can only be condemned,” it added.
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas also condemned the headline.
But the newspaper’s response was that summoning the Greek ambassador showed “there is no democracy in Turkey”.
