Türkiye OKs transfer of dead machinist's father to Greek prison

By Kemal Karadag and Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA / ATHENS (AA) — Türkiye has announced that it will allow the transfer of the father of a Greek machinist who died in last week's train accident, in line with a request to Turkish authorities.

The decision on Thursday came after a petition by Dimitris Nalbantis, the father of machinist Nikos Nalbantis, to be transferred to a Greek prison was received by the Turkish Justice Ministry and forwarded to its counterpart in the neighboring nation.

If the Greek side accedes to the request, Nalbantis will be transferred to a prison in his native country.

The Greek daily Kathimerini hailed Ankara's move "as another indication of the significant improvement in Greek-Turkish relations."

The thaw in ties was reflected in a phone call between Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and top Greek diplomat Nikos Dendias on Monday, it added.

"The fact that the issue of the imprisoned father was discussed at the highest diplomatic level and not through the typical channels of communication involving judicial, prison or police authorities is seen to demonstrate a willingness to set some positive precedent, even if only symbolically," noted the newspaper.

Nalbantis was serving a sentence for narcotics-related offenses at a facility in Türkiye's northwestern Tekirdag province.

Last week on Tuesday night, a passenger train collided with a freight train around the town of Tempi in the northern Larissa province.

The official death toll stands at 57, including many university students and nine traincrew members.