Question for written answer E-004946/2020 to the Vice-President of the Commission / High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Rule 138 Vangelis Meimarakis (PPE), Stelios Kympouropoulos (PPE), Maria Spyraki (PPE), Elissavet Vozemberg-Vrionidi (PPE), Manolis Kefalogiannis (PPE), Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou (PPE), Georgios Kyrtsos (PPE) Subject: Respecting international law in the Eastern Mediterranean Serious questions are being raised about the public position of NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. In an interview, Mr Stoltenberg contended that, because of the region in which it is situated, Turkey had every right to shoot down the Russian fighter jet that violated its airspace for less than 30 seconds in 2015. At the same time, Turkey repeatedly violates Greece’s airspace. More specifically, when quizzed by CNN reporter Hala Gorani, Mr Stoltenberg acknowledged that Turkey was entitled to protect its sovereign rights by shooting down the Russian fighter jet. Yet when the journalist then pointed out that Greece’s Prime Minister had said that Turkey violates Greek airspace, Mr Stoltenberg argued that Turkey, because of the tension at its borders with Syria and Iraq, is in a special situation. In view of the above, can Vice-President / High Representative say: 1. Does the EU accept that a violation of the airspace of one of its Member States by a third country is a ‘special situation’? 2. Is the position of NATO’s Secretary General in line with the European acquis? 3. What is the EU’s response to the attempts by NATO’s Secretary General to justify violations of international law by Turkey? PE658.160v01-00.