A political and diplomatic earthquake shakes Maximos Mansion, with Sotiris Serbos, foreign policy advisor to the Prime Minister, being hastily ousted via resignation on August 25, signaling a hardening of the government line on Greek-Turkish affairs, but also the first... tactical victory of Antonis Samaras against New Democracy.
We note that Mr. Serbos, with PASOK roots and a modernizing imprint, is targeted as he is considered an advocate of the appeasement line toward Turkey, at a moment when Antonis Samaras is pressing from the right for the adoption of a tougher agenda on national issues.
The resignation of the Prime Minister's advisor was accepted and, according to the decision signed by the Minister of State Akis Skertsos, Mr. Serbos is relieved of his duties as of August 21, 2026.
The relevant decision was published today, Tuesday August 25, in the Government Gazette.
The Government Gazette of Sotiris Serbos' resignation
«By decision No. 6487/21.08.2026 of the Minister of State, issued pursuant to articles 29 par. 5 and 47 par. 4 of Law 4622/2019, Presidential Decree 98/2020, Presidential Decree 76/2023, Presidential Decree 79/2023, Prime Ministerial Decision Y8/01.04.2024 (B' 2037), Decision No. 6970/09.10.2025 (Y.O.D.D. 1372), and the resignation request, the resignation of Sotirios Serbos, son of Konstantinos (ID Card No.: AR 730894), Associate Professor of the Department of Social Work of the School of Social, Political and Economic Sciences of Democritus University of Thrace, from the post of special political advisor at the General Secretariat of the Prime Minister of the Presidency of the Government is accepted, and as of August 21, 2026 he is relieved of his duties», states the decision signed by the Minister of State, Akis Skertsos.
From PASOK to... Maximos Palace: Sotiris Serbos
We note that Sotiris Serbos had joined New Democracy on March 3, 2024, which had welcomed him by emphasizing, via its announcement, that Sotiris Serbos is active in the field of international consulting services, having worked among others in the field of US-EU relations and the crises in the Eurozone and Ukraine, among others.
He himself had claimed at the time that his goal is to contribute to upgrading the position and role of Greece «in the Euro-Atlantic community of values and interests. With a healthy and outward-looking patriotism bearing a liberal hallmark. Unwaveringly reliable so as to be in a position to negotiate and assert claims».
In October 2025, the Associate Professor of International Politics had assumed, by decision of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, duties related to diplomatic matters at the General Secretariat of the Prime Minister of the Presidency of the Government.
A sample of Mr. Serbos' modernizing line on Greek-Turkish affairs
It is worth noting that Sotiris Serbos had served as diplomatic advisor to the President of PASOK-KINAL, Nikos Androulakis, for six months in 2022, while he was also scientific director of policy planning at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and special advisor at the Ministries of Finance, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, and Macedonia-Thrace.
Maximos Palace in the eye of the storm over Greek-Turkish affairs: Dendias, Samaras and Karamanlis at the ready
However, the resignation-ouster of Mr. Serbos conceals an intention for a... broader reorientation by Maximos Mansion, especially on Greek-Turkish affairs, as it appears to face unbearable pressure from its right.
As becomes understood, the calm waters of the Aegean are becoming dangerously stormy, and the... government does not appear to remain unaffected by the scenario of tension developing with Turkey.
After all, from different starting points, but with similar reasoning, Nikos Dendias, Antonis Samaras, and Kostas Karamanlis have from time to time leveled fierce criticism against the logic of «calm waters» and, above all, the Athens Declaration.
Their interventions were not merely inner-party differentiations.
They expressed a deeper concern regarding whether de-escalation can function as a strategy when facing a Turkey that has not abandoned its long-standing claims, and when it is understood that Turkey achieved a Mecca agreement with Pakistan and Saudi Arabia (where Greece maintains a Patriot battery), and in the end may also acquire F-35 jets from the US.
Things are turning aggressive with Turkey: A «hot» quarter approaches in the Aegean
Overall, emerging signs of heightened tension in relations between Greece and Turkey are expected to escalate during the final quarter of the year.
Ankara appears to continue a steady revisionist course, which, according to assessments, has gained fresh momentum following the strengthening of its role within NATO, as well as the recent regional agreements it has concluded, such as that of Mecca.
Turkey's moves, from the proclamation regarding the creation of marine parks to the promotion of institutional initiatives linked to the doctrine of the «Blue Homeland», combined with repeated military and hybrid pressures, create an environment in which Athens is called upon to move from the level of declarations to more concrete actions of deterrence.
Utilizing international alliances and cooperating with significant economic and technological entities constitute critical tools, yet they cannot replace the primary responsibility of the government to defend its sovereign rights and national interests.
In this context, maintaining the country's deterrent credibility presupposes a clear and proportional reaction against every provocation.
Otherwise, it is estimated that Turkey could consider it feasible to advance its objectives gradually, without substantial cost, while Greece's partners may conclude that maintaining «stability» in the region requires pressure on the side that appears more... manageable.
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