What is patras vakası?

Patras Vakası (Patras Incident) refers to an incident that occurred in Patras, Greece in 1994, where a group of Turkish nationalists attacked a Turkish consulate and took several hostages. The incident sparked a tense standoff between Greece and Turkey, both NATO members, which lasted for several days.

The group of nationalists, who identified themselves as the Turkish Revolutionary Nationalist Organization (TNTO), demanded the release of their leader, who had been arrested in Germany for planning a terrorist attack. They also demanded the release of other Turkish nationalists who were imprisoned in Greece.

The Greek authorities responded by surrounding the consulate and negotiating with the hostage-takers. After several days of tense negotiations, the Greek authorities were able to secure the release of the hostages unharmed. The TNTO members were arrested and charged with various crimes, including kidnapping and possession of illegal weapons.

The incident strained the already fragile relations between Greece and Turkey, which have a long history of conflicts and tensions. It also highlighted the growing problem of terrorism in Europe and the need for greater cooperation between countries to combat it.