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Greek Businesses Move to Boycott Trade with Turkey over Hagia Sophia

Anthee Carassava

   ATHENS - Turkey's decision to convert the ancient Hagia Sophia monument
   back into a mosque has sparked a war of words between Athens and
   Ankara. However, as Greece intensifies its diplomatic scramble to slap
   sanctions on Turkey, Greek businesses have launched a campaign to
   boycott goods and services from the neighboring country.

   Vassilis Korkidis, a leading representative of commerce in Greece, is
   blunt about the need, as he puts it, to strike back at Turkey.

   We recognize the ongoing works and efforts of the government to counter
   the recasting of Hagia Sophia, he said. However, until that
   materializes into something concrete,Korkidis said, Greek businesses
   should waste no time in boycotting trade with their Turkish partners.

   Even on a personal level, he says, consumers should follow suit. They
   can do so immediately, he said, boycotting Turkish goods, which bear
   the numbers 868 and 869 on the barcodes of imported products.

   Despite age-old animosity between the two countries, trade relations
   have grown substantially in recent years. Greece's annual exports to
   Turkey total about $1.6 billion, significantly more than the $1.2
   billion in imports from Turkey.

   Whether Greeks will heed the trade boycott remains unclear, especially
   as the economy here has been thrown into chaos by the COVID-19
   pandemic.

   However, the anger, sadness and resentment toward the Hagia Sophia
   recast weighs heavily in this largely Eastern Orthodox country-- so
   much in fact, that experts say any short-lived trade gain is offset by
   bigger losses.

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