Greek police officer detained in northwestern Turkey

Turkish authorities have detained a Greek police officer on charges of “entering a prohibited military zone” in the northwestern province of Edirne. Valasoudis Manolis and his girlfriend were reported to have come to Edirne for touristic purposes.

Duvar English

A Greek police officer has been detained in Turkey's northwestern province of Erdine, Demirören news agency reported on Dec. 6.

Valasoudis Manolis, a police officer on duty in the Greek city Alexandroupoli, and his girlfriend came to Edirne with their private car for touristic purposes.

It was alleged that the two had “entered a prohibited military zone” in the border village of Doyran. The Turkish gendarmerie detained Manolis and his girlfriend and took to them to the Keşan District Gendarmerie Command.

As part of an investigation launched by the Keşan Chief Prosecutor's Office, the mobile phones and other belongings of Manolis and his girlfriend have been seized for analysis.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Ties between neighboring Greece and Turkey have been strained over a series of issues, from disputed sea boundaries to long-standing Cyprus issue.