Erdoğan says Turkey won't drop rights in seas or make concessions

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan reiterated Turkey's determination to protect its rights in the Eastern Mediterranean, Aegean and the Black seas, saying that Ankara will not make any concessions as he criticized Greece for its policies.

"We will take whatever we are entitled to in the Mediterranean, Aegean and Black seas, we will not make any concessions," Erdoğan said Wednesday at a commemoration ceremony of the Seljuks' Manzikert (Malazgirt) Victory in the eastern Bitlis province.

The president noted that the same way Turkey does not set its eyes on other countries' territory, sovereignty or interests, it expects others to do the same for Turkey.

"We are determined to do whatever is politically, economically and militarily necessary to ensure this," Erdoğan said, adding that all countries need to realize that Turkey is no longer a country whose patience, determination, courage and opportunities can be tested.

"If it [Greece] wants to pay a price, let them come and face us. If they don't have the courage for it, they should stand out of our way," Erdoğan said, as he referred to Greece as being "unworthy of the Byzantine legacy."

Erdoğan continued by saying that Greece refuses to take lessons from history and acts like a fake bully in the Mediterranean, as he warned Athens to avoid taking steps that could lead to its "ruin."

Highlighting that the region has withstood provocations and other attacks that pose threat on the sense of fraternity, solidarity and fondness, Erdoğan said ongoing plans to ruin peace will backfire.

"All of our success in politics, the economy and military fields help us to look to our future with more confidence, as the natural gas reserve we discovered in the Black Sea has boosted our morale after a long time," Erdoğan said, adding that the revenue from the Black Sea gas will be utilized to improve the lives of all citizens in the country.