Greek naval cadets punished over Turkophobic chants during national parade

Members of the Greek Naval Forces are facing disciplinary action after chanting Turkophobic slogans during the March 25 military parade in Athens, held in celebration of Greece’s National Day.

According to Greek media outlet Proto Thema‘s report, a disciplinary investigation launched by the Naval Forces Command has concluded, resulting in sanctions for the individuals involved.

Some cadets, who were students at the time of the incident, received up to 20 days of imprisonment, while others received milder penalties.

Türkiye condemns incident as ‘unacceptable attempt to undermine relations’

The slogans, reportedly including “Cyprus is Greek” and other offensive statements directed at Türkiye and Turkish Cypriots, were recorded and widely circulated on social media.

The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted strongly, stating that the chants were “impertinent” and represented an “unacceptable attempt to undermine Turkish-Greek relations.”

Ministry sources emphasized that such behavior is contrary to military ethics and discipline and called on Greek authorities for an official explanation.

Greek Defense Ministry and SYRIZA respond

In response, the Greek Defense Ministry promptly initiated an administrative investigation, which has now resulted in disciplinary measures against those responsible.

Greece’s main opposition party, the Coalition of the Radical Left—Progressive Alliance (SYRIZA), also denounced the slogans, calling them unacceptable and urging a thorough investigation into the incident.

“An unacceptable incident, and it should be investigated and answers should be given,” SYRIZA said in a statement, adding, “Nationalist crowns and lack of discipline alone do not guarantee power.”

“The narrative of the 2030 agenda is weakened by the continuous withdrawals from the National Defense Council and the serious administrative arrhythmias, which should have seriously concerned the leadership of the Ministry of National Defense, as national defense is not only protected by large expenditures. With a government that is in retreat and cannot control even the most basic things, nothing surprises us anymore.”

Parade turns into diplomatic flashpoint

The military parade, typically a patriotic celebration marking Greece’s independence, became the focus of diplomatic scrutiny following the viral video footage.

Eyewitnesses and social media commentary criticized the conduct of the naval cadets. One widely shared comment stated, “If some honorable prosecutor came out, he would gather you to the military court from the lieutenant commander to the chief of general staff.”

Turkish MoD: Such behavior violates military ethics

Commenting on the incident, Turkish Ministry of Defense sources highlighted that such slogans violated both written and unwritten codes of military ethics by stating, “Military discipline and ethics, both written and unwritten, prohibit actions like those seen in Greece.”

“The Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) is known for its discipline, morality, and compassion. Such behavior is not characteristic of our armed forces, and it never will be,” the MoD added.