Turkiye's reaction to the marine parks, aside from being unfounded, also provides a direct reply to those accusing the government of making concessions in foreign policy, Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis commented in an interview with OPEN TV on Tuesday.
"In the past four months alone, we’ve seen developments such as hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete, the submission of the maritime spatial planning framework to the EU, and the creation of marine national parks. We’ve also had the delimitation of maritime zones between Greece and Italy, as well as with Egypt - issues that had remained unresolved for a very long time. At the same time, we’ve seen a strengthening of the Armed Forces, both in the air and at sea. Therefore, the government clearly has a firm and coherent foreign policy-quiet and measured, yet steadily advancing the country’s strategic position," Hatzidakis said.
The decision to establish the marine parks also sends an environmental message, he added, noting that "our seas are truly part of our natural wealth, and we must protect them. It is our duty-to our conscience and to our children. 
Hatzidakis also pointed out that "...there are some islands east of Amorgos whose sovereignty is clearly not in question, yet Turkiye has considered them ‘grey zones’ since the 1990s. For us, none of this is up for negotiation. We are willing to negotiate only on the continental shelf and maritime zones. We believe in peaceful coexistence, and the future of the two peoples lies in that path, but we cannot sacrifice our national interests or our national pride."
Greece, noted the deputy prime minister, has in recent years acted with great determination, steering clear of populism, and has strengthened its alliances in the broader region-with Israel, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. 
"We seek peaceful coexistence with Turkiye but are not willing to negotiate our sovereign rights. We’re not pretending to be a dog that barks but doesn’t bite. We’ve paid a high price for populism in foreign policy. This government defends national interests through concrete actions."