Greek island tours from Turkish coasts halted

MUGLA, Turkey

Turkish cruise operators on Wednesday halted charter tours to Greek islands following a ban by Turkey’s Transport Ministry.

“We’ve cancelled the Greek [island] tours until Nov. 5,” Aykut Uzunsimsek, a Bodrum-based tour operator, told reporters.

On Tuesday, the Transport Ministry banned Turkish-flagged commercial yachts from sailing to Greece, after Greece seized 11 Turkish vessels for alleged violation of maritime regulations.

Also, a ban was issued on regular passenger ships as of Oct.12.

If another Turkish vessel is siezed by Greek authorities, Turkey's white flag status, which symbolizes quality sea transport, will be downgraded to grey flag, tour operators said.

Prior to the ban, tourists who visit Bodrum, an Agean resort in southwestern Mugla province, could take an hour-long boat ride to the Greek island of Kos.

“We will instead organize tours on the Turkish coasts. We can make our guests happy in Turkish waters too,” said Uzunsimsek.

“We have been organizing blue voyages [week-long trips] for 30 years. We have been going to these islands for years, but Greek authorities are acting lawlessly.”

“Police officers are entering the vessels and imposing fines,” he added.

Erhan Berber, another Bodrum-based yacht company owner, echoed the same sentiment.

He said that one of his vessels was fined for 100,000 Euro ($117,334).

“We were told [by Greek authorities] that we were breaking the law, while our tour was going on. There was no legal basis of this [claim],” Berber said.

Reporting by Ali Balli; Writing Nilay Kar;