Tag: Greece

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Commentary

What Mitsotakis Has Wrought !

Controversy in Greece continues over the legalization of gay marriage. At least three bishops have excommunicated politicians who voted to legalize gay marriage. The President of Greece and other politicians have been disinvited from the celebration of the Sunday of Orthodoxy later this month.

The bishops are within their rights to deny communion to anyone whom they feel should not receive. This is not understood by Greek politicians who reveal how out of touch they really are with Orthodoxy and Hellenism. They are so infatuated with Europe and western culture they have forgotten about Greece’s spiritual and cultural roots.

Syriza leader Kasselakis and his American friend have suggested that a problem with the new law is the fact that it does not address trans rights. So, the Prime Minister has opened up a Pandora’s box which will not so easily be closed. The trans movement with its beliefs in pregnant men and advocacy for mutilating children is going to follow gay marriage.

In fairness, gay people have rights. Hate crimes and discrimination in work or housing should be prosecuted. Individuals, gay or straight should be permitted to leave their propery and health care benefits to whomever they like. But, marriage can never be anything other than a union between man and woman.

Greece has many problems. The rise of organized crime is one problem. The large number of migrants in Greece remains a problem. The biggest problem however are the continued threats of Turkey to invade the islands.

Turkey has established influence in the Russo- Ukrainian war as a mediator. Greece has played no part in a mediation between two Orthodox countries largely because Greek officials are so thoroughly westernized they have a limited knowledge of Orthodoxy. Are they even aware that the Greeks converted Russia and Ukraine to Christianity one thousand years ago?

The Church’s fight here is both spiritual and political. They are fighting first and foremost for the gospel and the faith. Secondly, they are fighting for the sovereignty and independence of Greece against western imperialism. At a time when Greece needs unity, Mitsotakis has divided Greeks.

The passage of the gay marriage law is proving to be disastrous and divisive. Mitsotakis deserves to be removed as Prime Minister. The worst leader Greece has had since Costas Simitis.

Categories
faith

Mount Athos, Church Of Greece, And The Struggle For The Faith

The Monasteries of the Holy Mountain have written a letter to Patriarch Bartholomew opposing the impending visit of Archbishop Elpidophoros. The reason for this are the controversial baptisms of two children of a gay couple. In addition, the Athonites cited the photograph of the Archbishop with the two men and suggest that the hierarch appears to endorse gay marriage.

This is an accurate assessment of the photograph. The monks have made clear that they do not wish to appear as if they are in agreement with the Archbishop or endorse his actions. We should recall that when the Archbishop asked for permission from Metropolitan Antonios of Glyfada to conduct the baptisms, he failed to mention the “parents” were gay.

The Archbishop deceived this hierarch and the Church of Greece in general. Furthermore, the use of a surrogate mother to provide these men with children represents a further moral issue with the entire affair. Archbishop Elpidophoros by all rights should be deposed.

This baptism is by no means the only controversy that he has stirred up. He has received into the Patriarchate’s Slavic vicariate a defrocked Archimandrite from the Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia and sought to elevate him into the episcopacy. Only threats from the other Orthodox Churches in the episcopal assembly forced the Archbishop to cancel his plans.

During the fall of 2021, the Archbishop attended a ceremony at the Turkish consulate in New York one year after the Turks converted Hagia Sophia into a Mosque. The Archbishop was in the presence of Ersin Tatar, the leader of the Turkish occupation of Cyprus. This move angered the governments of Greece and Cyprus.

Archbishop Elpidophoros gained notoriety from an article he wrote in 2013 stating the Ecumenical Patriarch was “first without equals”. In reality the Ecumenical Patriarch is considered “first among equals” with a “primacy of honor”. The then Metropolitan also compared the Patriarch with the first person of the Holy Trinity. This writing gave the current Archbishop a good deal of notoriety.

Considering Patriarch Bartholomew’s subsequent actions in Ukraine (the canonical territory of the Russian Orthodox Church) it makes the Archbishop the minister of propaganda to Patriarch Bartholomew. Both the Patriarchate and the Archdiocese have aligned themselves with American pro war foreign policy establishment.

Even worse, they compromised the Patriarchate of Alexandria, several Athonite Monasteries and bishops in Greece and Cyprus when the latter all established communion with the fake “church” in Ukraine. Certainly all the above have to take responsibility for entering into communion with the artificial entity calling itself “Orthodox Church of Ukraine”. But it was Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros who started all this by trying to bestow on the Patriarch authority and power he does not have.

The Monasteries of Mount Athos contributed to the schism in Orthodoxy when they decided to let each Monastery pursue its own policy toward the illegitimate Ukrainian “church”. Furthermore, they permitted the fake “bishops” of Ukraine to desecrate the holy mountain by permitting them to participate in liturgical services. These frauds also raised the Ukrainian flag on Mount Athos and sang the Ukrainian national anthem. Such expressions of nationalism are supposed to be prohibited on the holy mountain.

The expressions of opposition to gay marriage by the Church of Greece and Mount Athos deserve praise. But there is much more to be done. The holy mountain and the Churches of Greece and Cyprus must reverse their decisions to recognize that thing in Ukraine masquerading as a “church”. The holy mountain and the Church of Greece must restore communion with the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and to condemn the persecution of this legitimate and canonical Church.

If this can be done, the Church of Greece and the holy mountain will be restored. Then the Greek Church must prepare itself to act against the Ecumenical Patriarch and the Archbishop of America who have caused so much chaos in Orthodoxy and sought to ruin the name of Hellenism by carrying out their ecclesiastical crimes under the Greek flag which they have desecrated.


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Published commentaries

The Greek Orthodox Bishops And Ukraine


OPINION; The Greek Churches Must Speak

ByHellenic News of America

May 4, 2023

ΦΩΤΟ: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ

by Theodore Karakostas

In the year 988 AD, Emperor Basil II of Constantinople of the reigning Macedonian Dynasty performed a deed that can be considered splendid not only in the earthly realms of politics and diplomacy, but in the spiritual and heavenly realms as well. Emperor Basil had once intended to become a monk, but accepted his destiny to become the Emperor of Christendom in the God protected City of Constantinople and arranged for the baptism of holy Rus whose culture and civilization began in Kiev. It it a fact that what Constantinople is for the Greeks, Kiev is for both Russia and Ukraine.

Those of us of Hellenic ancestry have felt the enormous pain of losing Hagia Sophia three times. First in 1453, after the fall of Constantinople, then in 1922 when Greece was denied Constantinople by the Western powers, and in 2020 when the world sat silently as the Turkish government made Saint Justinian’s Church a Mosque. The Kiev Caves Lavra are in Kiev what Hagia Sophia is to Constantinople. The Kiev Caves Lavra is more than just a Monastery. Within its sacred walls reside two hundred monks and three hundred seminarians.

A wave of repression has been undertaken by the Kiev government against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC). There is a rival “Orthodox Church of Ukraine” (OCU). The situation is not unlike Greece in which the “Orthodox Church of Greece” peacefully coexists with the various Old Calendar-traditionalist Churches. Democracy and the right to religious freedom and freedom of conscience dictate that individuals should be free to worship where they like. The Ukrainian government has for several years forcibly seized Churches belonging to the UOC and given them to the OCU. It has also attempted to force the UOC to rename itself and pressure has effectively been imposed to subsequently ban the UOC outright.

Orthodox Churches throughout the world have raised their voices in protest against the persecution of the Kiev Caves Lavra. Only a few bishops in Greece and Cyprus have raised their voices. This is particularly disturbing considering that Kiev carries on the great spiritual heritage of Constantinople. It is important to recall that until 2018, the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Churches had refused to recognize schismatic entities in Ukraine that later became the OCU. They had recognized only the UOC which is the inheritor of the Church that was established by Prince Vladimir of Kiev when he accepted the Christian faith from Emperor Basil II of Constantinople.

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For moral and spiritual reasons, as well as historic reasons the Greek Churches must raise their voices to protest the injustices against not just the monks of the Kiev Caves Lavra, but against the Ukrainian Orthodox Church as a whole. Another prominent reason why my conscience dictates that I must write about the present horrors inflicted on Orthodox Christians in Ukraine is because of the past silence of the world to the injustices of Greek Orthodoxy in Asia Minor and Constantinople. It should be remembered that the world was indifferent to the Greek Orthodox in 1922 when the Turks burned the City of Smyrna and slaughtered the Greek and Armenian Christians.

After the 1955 pogroms in Constantinople and the subsequent ethnic cleansing of Greeks from the heavenly city, the Western world was not only indifferent but bullied Greece into appeasing the Turkish aggressors. It is in memory of the destroyed Greek Churches of Constantinople and Turkish-occupied Cyprus (where the Turks have destroyed or Islamicized over five hundred Churches and Monasteries) that I lament the seizure and destruction of Churches and holy sites belonging to the Ukrainian Orthodox Church.

Since when do holy and pious Greek bishops remain silent on issues pertaining to our Orthodox faith? Patriarch (Saint) Gregory V gave his life by refusing to expose to the Sultan the plans for the liberation of Greece. Metropolitan (Saint) Chrysostom of Smyrna defied death and the Turks by announcing he would never leave Smyrna and his flock. He was butchered but gained martyrdom and eternal glory in the kingdom of God. Archbishop Chrysanthos of Athens refused to cooperate with the Germans in 1941 and openly defied them. Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens risked his life under Nazi occupation
to rescue thousands of Greek Jews.

In September 1955, Archbishop Spyridon of Athens resisted government pressure not to offend the Americans when denounced the anti-Greek pogroms in Constantinople and the silence of America and NATO. In our own lifetime, Archbishop Christodoulos of blessed memory condemned the bombing of Orthodox Serbia and called the faithful to the streets of Athens and Thessaloniki to protest plans to diminish the influence of Orthodoxy in Greece. When any religious group is oppressed (Jews, Roman Catholics, Muslims) we would be called upon by the gospel to raise our voices.

How then can it be that Church leaders in Constantinople, Athens, and Nicosia have remained silent when our own brothers in the Orthodox faith suffer and are being oppressed. The tradition of Greek Orthodoxy demands that the Patriarch and the bishops raise their voices. This too is part of the spiritual inheritance of Constantinople as can be seen by the examples of Saint John Chrysostom and other Patriarchs. The Greek Churches must speak!

Categories
faith

The Archbishop’s Speech

Archbishop Elpidophoros gave an address to the American intelligence community. In that address he accused the Russian Church of weaponizing the Orthodox Church. This from a bishop who received the approval of the American Ambassador in Athens after being elected Archbishop. There is no shortage of reasons why we should be disturbed by this.

The Archbishop said nothing about the persecution of the Ukrainian Church. This is the speech of a politician, not of an Archbishop. The Greek media in Greece remain silent regarding the blatant politicization of not only the Patriarchate and the Archdiocese of America, but of the church of Greece itself. American officials blatantly intervene in the affairs of the Greek Churches.

The late Archbishop Christodoulos was criticized for public stances that were not political in a partisan way. The hierarchs of Constantinople, Greece, and the Greek Archdiocese of America are political in a very problematic way. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and former Ambassador to Greece Geoffrey Pyatt lobbied Bishops of Greece to recognize Ukraine’s pseudo Church.

The late Archbishop Iakovos of America was excoriated in Greece for nonexistent offenses. Yet, Archbishop Elpidophoros who has ties with the US foreign policy establishment receives no criticism for very real offenses that conflict with his role as a spiritual leader. These are difficult times for Greece and Cyprus and one would think the Greek media would be interested in the growing American influence over the Greek Churches.

It is further to be noticed that the Archbishop did not mention Greece or Cyprus in his speech. The Archbishop and the Archdiocese he leads talk about Greece among the community but when it comes to speaking up about Turkish threats to invade the Greek islands, the Archbishop has nothing to say. How about a statement on the Churches of Cyprus that Turkey has destroyed?

The increased politicization (radicalization) of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and the Greek Archdiocese should be cause for alarm for those of us who love the Patriarchate and Hellenism. Yet, few Greeks have taken notice of the disturbing exploitation of the Greek Churches by the enemies of Christianity. The Archbishop’s criticisms of the Russian Church are hypocritical in the extreme.

It is true that Patriarch Kyril of Moscow has made some reckless statements regarding the Ukrainian war. Statements that should be criticized. But it is not true that the Russian Church is serving as the Russian government’s instrument.

The Russian Church’s relationship with the state is no different than the relationship that existed between Church and State in Byzantium or modern Greece. The concept of “symphonia” defined Church State relations in Byzantium and this relationship was adopted by Russia alongside the double headed eagle and Orthodoxy itself.

Archbishop Elpidophoros and others like him condemn Russia because they do not recognize the Byzantine heritage. Archbishop Elpidophoros and yes, Patriarch Bartholomew are followers of the Western European heritage which destroyed Byzantium after the Fourth Crusade.

Patriarch Bartholomew and Archbishop Elpidophoros and their increasing power is foreign to the Orthodox Church and the conciliar tradition which placed limits on the authority of Patriarchs and Bishops. Their policies must be challenged. After the Council of Florence in 1439, the people of Constantinople did not hesitate from protesting and opposing the Patriarch and the Bishops.

Archbishop Elpidophoros is notorious for his writings which suggest the Ecumencal Patriarch has unlimited authority in Orthodoxy. His ideas are very radical and his actions as Archbishop are disturbing and problematic.


Categories
faith

Greece And Orthodoxy

Archbishop Makarios of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia stated that if Greeks lose the Greek language they will lose their faith.This blogger has written extensively on Hellenism and Orthodoxy over the years, including three books. Yes, the Greek language is important but the Archbishop misses some bigger points.

At the present time, the Greek Churches are in a state of chaos owing to the schism with the Russian Church and the persecution of the Ukrainian Church. The Greek Churches are in a state of crisis because of these developments. Patriarch Bartholomew has effectively invited the American government into the affairs of his own Patriarchate, the Church of Greece, and Mount Athos.

The issue of the Greek language is not the problem afflicting Greek Orthodoxy today. It is the lack of independence for the Churches of Greece and Cyprus that is the real problem. Greeks do not need lectures from bishops serving a Patriarch who is a Turkish citizen and collaborated with the State Department at the expense of Orthodox ecclesiology.

Constantinople is unquestionably the center of the Hellenic world and Greek Orthodoxy. But that does not mean bestowing approval and blindly following the unacceptable actions of Patriarch Bartholomew. Patriarch Bartholomew’s ecclesiastical crimes are steadily growing.

Does anyone believe the Greek language in Greece or Cyprus is threatened? In America and Australia it makes good sense for English to be used in the Divine Liturgy. The language of the people is the language of the Church. This does not take away the beauty of Greek in the Divine Liturgy but circumstances dictate that the faithful should understand the liturgy.

When Saints Cyril and Methodios during the ninth century proceeded to convert the Slavs, they translated the gospel and the liturgy into Cyrillic. The Church is commanded by Christ to evangelize and to spread the message of salvation It is not meant to be confined.

From a Hellenic standpoint, there are pressing matters to attend to. This means that Greece and Cyprus must be defended in the event of Turkish invasions. The Ecumenical Patriarchate and its overseas bishops have nothing to contribute to these efforts. The inter Orthodox crisis over the Patriarch’s meddling in Ukraine has stirred up divisions among Greeks when unity is needed.

The Ecumenical Patruarchate and its eparchys abroad such as the Archdiocese of America need to be removed from matters pertaining to Greece and Cyprus.

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faith

His Memory Be Eternal!

On Monday April 10, one of the Saints that is commemorated on the calendar of the Orthodox Church is Patriarch Gregory V of Constantinople. Patriarch Gregory served as Ecumenical Patriarch on at least three different occasions. He was deposed the first two times, but his last tenure on the Patriarchal throne ended with his execution. 

He was executed at the gate of the Ecumenical Patriarchate on the Sunday of Pascha. He was held responsible by the Ottoman Sultan for the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence. Formally, the Patriarch renounced the Greek uprising. Unofficially however, he had known about plans for an uprising but remained silent. He took the position that he could not be formally involved but did nothing to betray the Greek cause either. 

After the Greek uprising, a campaign of terror was undertaken against the Greek Orthodox populations of Constantinople, Smyrna, and Thessaloniki. The martyrdom of the Patriarch seemed to have exhausted the rage of the Sultan and the policies against the Greeks in those cities was relaxed. The Patriarch gave his life for the protection of his flock.

His execution angered both the Russian and British governments. The Russians were angry that an Orthodox Patriarch was put to death and the anti Greek terror campaign in the Ottoman Empire hardened Russian attitudes to the Turks. The British recognized that the execution of one of Christendom’s most prominent spiritual leaders was a horrendous crime and could not ignore it. 

The Patriarch suffered considerably. Along with several bishops he was hanged. The gate where he was hanged from at the Patriarchate has remained closed up to the present day. A former Mayor of Constantinople that was elected in 1994 named Recep Erdogan had vowed that he would visit the Patriarchate and the gate would be opened just for him. International pressure forced him to back down. 

The Patriarch Gregory V was weak and frail. He was hanging for hours before he died. His body was subsequently degraded and dragged through the streets of Constantinople. His body was thrown into the bosporus was eventually found and taken to Odessa where he received an official State funeral at the expense of the Russian Empire. In 1871, the relics of the Patriarch were sent to Athens where they have remained in the Annunciation Cathedral to be venerated by faithful Orthodox Greeks. 

Patriarch Gregory V is an example of a spiritual shepherd. His life was lost so his faithful left behind in the Ottoman Empire would be spared. On the one hundredth anniversary of his martyrdom in 1921, the Patriarch Gregory was officially recognized as a Saint by the Greek Orthodox Church. This was when the Greeks were fighting for the liberation of Asia Minor and it was hoped the Greek Army would be inspired by the Saint from Constantinople. 

It should be noted that the Russians gave the Patriarch a state funeral. There is no reason why the Ecumenical Patriarchate should not have brotherly spiritual relations with the Russian Church. Greeks and Russians share so much including the Saints. Ecumenical Patriarch Gregory V was an Orthodox traditionalist and one of the best Patriarchs to serve in the post Byzantine era. The present occupant of the Ecumenical Patriarchate should emulate his example and his bravery.

In this case, bravery would be to reverse what has been done in Ukraine over the past five years. This necessitates condemning the oppression of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church. Let us remember Patriarch Gregory V! His memory be eternal!

Categories
faith

Hagia Sophia Diaries 30

Last December it was reported that Hagia Sophia suffered even more damage. The Imperial Gate under the mosaics of Saints Constantine and Justinian was damaged last year, but in December it was discovered the gate suffered more damage. Hagia Sophia appears to suffer from the ignorance of those responsible for the Great Church’s upkeep.

President Erdogan took Hagia Sophia from the ministry of culture which did a good job preserving the Church, and gave it to the clerics who are completely indifferent to both the Christian origins of Hagia Sophia and the historical significance of the Church. The upcoming Turkish elections will be significant.

Will Hagia Sophia be restored as a museum in a post Erdogan government? This remains to be seen.

Categories
faith

Ukrainian Schism engulfs Church of Cyprus

Four Bishops of the Orthodox Church of Cyprus have angrily responded to the commemoration in the divine liturgy by Archbishop Chrysostom II of Epiphanios Dimenko, the “bishop” of the schismatic entity in Ukraine. The Archbishop’s commemoration of a man who has no priestly ordination or bishop’s consecration and is therefore not the head of an autocephalous Church is a serious violation of the canonical order of the Orthodox Church. This threatens to lead to a rupture of communion between the Orthodox Church of Cyprus and the Russian Orthodox Church of which the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church is an autonomous part of.

It is quite probable that the Archbishop has succumbed to pressure from the Ecumenical Patriarch and his powerful friends in the American government. The Members of the Holy Synod of the Church of Cyprus are rightfully furious with the Archbishop for making a decision that could destroy relations with the Russian Church and affect its relations with the rest of the Orthodox Church unilaterally.

Archbishop Chrysostomos II is only the latest Greek hierarch to disregard the holy and sacred canons of the Orthodox Church and to recognize the fake entity in Ukraine. Originally, the Bishops of the Church of Greece entered into communion with the fake “church” of Ukraine. Some of the Greek Monasteries on Mount Athos concelebrated the divine liturgy with some of the fake “bishops” of Ukraine. Like Patriarch Theodore of Alexandria, Archbishop Chrysostom had stated that he recognized only the canonical Ukrainian Church but then turned around and recognized the schismatics.

This action on the part of the Archbishop of Cyprus has now engulfed the last of the Greek speaking Churches in Orthodoxy. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem has refused to recognize the Ukrainian schismatics but while the Patriarch and most of his Bishops are Greek, the Patriarch’s flock is Arab. Jerusalem is therefore both an Arab and a Greek Church.

It cannot be stressed enough that Patriarch Bartholomew is provoking a schism in Orthodoxy that widens each time an autocephalous Church enters into communion with the schismatics. As all the Churches to have recognized the schismatics are Greek, this will leave the Greek Orthodox world estranged and cut off from the whole of Orthodoxy. Since the Ecumenical Patriarch invaded the Russian Church’s territory in Ukraine we have seen the following,

1) The persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church by the Ukrainian authorities.

2) The cessation of communion between the Russian Church and the Churches of Constantinople and Alexandria.

3) The cessation of communion between the Russian Church and some Metropolises of the Church of Greece.

4) The division and estrangement between the upper ranks of the Patriarchate of Alexandria and the native African Bishops that resulted when African Bishops protested the Patriarch’s decision to establish communion with the Ukrainian schismatics.

5) A division within the Church of Greece between twelve principled Bishops who refuse to violate the canons of the Church, priests, monastics, theologians, and faithful on the one side and the Archbishop of Athens and a vast majority of Bishops on the other side who endorsed entering into communion with the Ukrainian schismatics.

At a time when Greece and Cyprus face increasing encroachments on their territorial rights from Turkey, this latest development in the two year crisis within the Orthodox Church is especially unwelcome. Over the past two years, Patriarch Bartholomew has sought to portray himself as a Greek nationalist. His infamous chauvinistic comments about the Russians needing to recognize “our people” at the head of Orthodoxy comes to mind.

Patriarch Bartholomew has failed to recognize the damage he has done to Orthodoxy. From the outset, the Ecumenical Patriarchate made itself an accomplice in the fierce persecution of the canonical Ukrainian Orthodox Church. By colluding with American officials in Washington and Athens to pressure the Church of Greece (and later the Patriarchate of Alexandria) to establish communion with schismatics, the Ecumenical Patriarchate made their synods complicit in the persecution of Ukrainian Orthodoxy.

In recent days, Russia has released statements supporting Greece’s territorial rights in the Aegean against Turkey. Russia has released a statement reminding Turkey of the Russian bombardment of the Ottoman Empire at the Battle of Navarino in 1828. Very crucially, the Russian government has condemned the Turkish decision to reopen the town of Varosha in the Turkish occupied territories of Cyprus.

The decision of Archbishop Chrysostom to commemorate the fraudster Dimenko is despicable first and foremost for violating the canons of the Orthodox Church. It is also inherently stupid for alienating the Russians at a time when Russian diplomacy has been stepping up for Cyprus and Greece. The violation of canon laws by the Greek speaking Churches and the appalling treachery and cowardice by Greek hierarchs in four Churches demonstrate that the Greek Orthodox world has reached its greatest spiritual crisis in at least two centuries.

All this can be blamed on the Ecumenical Patriarch, the so called Greek “ethnarch”. Many Greeks scattered throughout the world have remained fervently loyal to Patriarch Bartholomew. This misguided loyalty has not been returned by the Ecumenical Patriarch.

If Patriarch Bartholomew cared for the Greeks and the Greek speaking Churches he would not have sought to divide them from their sister Churches in the communion of Orthodox Churches. Nor would he have destabilized them by creating one crisis after another in Greece, Alexandria, and now Cyprus. Greeks who continue to support Patriarch Bartholomew should ask one question.

If the Ecumenical Patriarch cared about Greece and Cyprus would he be creating divisions and conflicts not only between the Greek Churches and the Russian Church, but divisions among Greeks themselves?

Categories
political

The Germans Again

During the First World War, Germany was the ally of the Ottoman Empire. The Germans gave military, diplomatic, and political support to the Young Turks when the genocide of the Armenians, Assyrians, and Greeks was well under way. During the Second World War, Germany occupied Greece and caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Greeks through either massacres or famine.

The Germans have proven that no matter whether they are ruled by the Kaiser, Hitler, or Angela Merkel they remain firmly consistent in their disregard for the rights of Greece. Germany is not, never has been, and never will be a friend of Greece. The Washington Post now reports that Germany may have arranged a meeting between Prime Minister Mitsotakis and President Erdogan.

The Greek Prime Minister must be very careful not to make any concessions. International law is on the side of Greece and the support for Greece from France, Italy, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates has has been achieved through diplomacy and hard work. German interests are not Greek interests.

Many Greek Americans are opposed to President Donald Trump and President Vladimir Putin of Russia. This is a mistake. While it is true that Russia presently enjoys friendly relations with Turkey, that is likely to change as is the relationship between President Trump and President Erdogan. It German Chancellor Angela Merkel that Greeks everywhere should be looking at with hostility.

Germany has evolved from the country that was appeased in 1938 to the country that is Europe’s appeaser in 2020. The Germans are looking to appease President Erdogan’s Turkey. The Turks are threatening to flood Europe with millions of refugees. Rather than being outraged by Turkish blackmail and concluding that Ankara should be challenged, Berlin seeks to appease Ankara and probably at the expense of Athens.

Prime Mitsotakis has done well in deterring Turkish aggression. It would be a mistake for him to embrace the pan European internationalism that the Socialist Party (PASOK) embraced between 1996 and 2004. If Greece accepts a flawed agreement with Turkey under German auspices this will be victory of Pan European internationalism at the expense of Pan Hellenic nationalism. Turkey is an international threat and menace and capitulating to Ankara will only make that threat much worse.

The Washington Post following the New York Times thinks “diplomacy” is a good thing. This depends on what “diplomacy” looks like. The New York Times lamented the absence of Richard Holbrooke who was an appeaser of Turkish aggression in 1996. The Washington Post commends Angela Merkel’s initiative. Athens must beware lest Angela Merkel becomes the Richard Holbrooke of 2020 and Athens snatches defeat from the jaws of victory.

Categories
political

Another victory for Greece

The Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis has returned to Turkey despite the strong words from the Turkish leadership in recent days and the provocations of the National Action Party (the Grey Wolves) who celebrated the anniversary of the Turkish slaughter of Armenian and Greek Christians at Smyrna. This is the third Greek victory over Turkey this year. Earlier this year, Athens successfully defended the Greek border from refugees who were being exploited by Turkey for use as a political weapon against Greece.

At the end of July, Turkey stopped drilling for oil near the Greek island of Castellorizo. Prime Minister Mitsotakis has understandably adopted a diplomatic stance following the Turkish withdrawal but should not conclude that the Turkish threat has diminished. President Erdogan’s bragging about the events at Smyrna and other Turkish officials bragging about Syrian jihadists who were prepared to fight with Turkey in the event of a war with Greece should not be forgotten.

Strong support from France, Italy and Egypt has been of enormous benefit to Greece as has the threat of European sanctions against Turkey. Greek diplomacy has won another small but serious victory. It should be remembered that Erdogan has constantly called for the revision of the Treaty of Lausanne and Turkish officials in all parties sitting in the Turkish Parliament have called for the seizure of the Greek islands.

Greece has taken strong steps in purchasing military equipment and sending troops to the island of Castellorizo. Its strong determination to defend its territory and its islands played a role in deterring Turkish aggression at this particular time. Athens needs to build on the small but significant victories it has achieved this year. It must continue purchasing military equipment and keeping its military on guard for the next confrontation that Turkey instigates.

Alarmist articles in the New York Times and the Guardian lamented the absence of traditional American diplomacy in the handling of Greek-Turkish confrontations. If the late Richard Holbrook whose absence has been lamented by these misguided editorialists had handled this Greece would have been forced to forfeit its rights. Greece has just benefitted from the replacement of traditional American “diplomacy” by Trump’s diplomacy.

The Trump administration stayed out of it and did not pressure Greece. The Greeks stood up for themselves and Turkey capitulated. This is a Greek victory in the Trump era which has no precedents during the eras of the Clinton or Obama administrations. Nor does it have any precedents in the Republican administration of George W. Bush.

There are yet more dangers that exist. The world remains strangely silent at the exploitation of millions of Middle Eastern refugees by the Turkish government. Turkey has threatened to flood Europe with these refugees. Germany has been so struck with fear over another refugee crisis that it was willing to appease Turkish aggression against Greece.

Certainly, there are reasons to fear another refugee crisis in Europe. Even at the best of times the refugee crisis was a problem. Now in the world of covid-19 millions of refugees flooding Europe will add far greater dangers than ever before. The Turkish government is attempting to hold Europe hostage through the inhumane treatment of the refugees and the potential threat to millions of people in Europe.

The Erdogan government is an international menace to the entire world. Greece has emerged as a front line state and is taking its place. At last, Athens is finding its voice and putting forward its national interests like a normal country.