The Turkish government has approved a request by a Greek member of the European Parliament to visit the two Greek soldiers being held in a maximum-security jail.
According to an Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA) report, the green light for the visit was given to New Democracy MEP Manolis Kefalogiannis.
The two men have been held for trespassing into Turkish territory early in March, and are awaiting trial.
Kefalogiannis had submitted the request to see the two detainees twice: on March 25 to the Foreign Ministry and Justice Ministers in Ankara when he visited as chair of the EU Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, and another on April 22 to a delegation of Turkish officials visiting the European Parliament in Brussels.
According to the agency, he is expected to visit the two men within the next few weeks, with a delegation of European officials.
The soldiers who have so far been charged with illegal entry, are being held in a prison in Edirne (Adrianopolis) since March 1.
They lost their way in bad weather while patrolling the border near the town of Kastanies and ended up in Turkish territory while following footprints in the snow.
A Turkish court has rejected two requests for the release of the soldiers. Up until now, no trial has been set nor has the indictment been finalized.
Greece has escalated its criticism against Turkey, implying that Ankara is seeking political benefit from the prolonged detention of the two men.
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