GREECE, THE HOMELAND OF ALL GREEKS! THE GOVERNMENT OF GREECE IS NOT INTERESTED IN THE REPATRIATION OF GREEKS TO THE HOMELAND OF THEIR ANCESTORS.

 

To:

His Beatitude the Archbishop of Athens and All Greece, Hieronymus II

The Patriotic Forces of Greece

Human Rights Organizations of Greece

Mass Media (Media)

 

I, Edward Polatidis, the head of the organization of Greeks of Armenia "Patrida," observe with a pained heart how the hope of my compatriots to return to their roots is fading. The country glorified by Homer, the birthplace of democracy, today seems indifferent to its sons and daughters scattered across the world. We, the Greeks of Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh), feel forgotten and abandoned to our fate.

The Government of Greece, instead of facilitating the repatriation process, erects bureaucratic barriers, turning the acquisition of citizenship into a years-long ordeal. Proof of my correctness lies in the thousands of unprocessed applications worldwide, lost documents, endless refusals without explanation.

As for the Armenian Greeks, their inquiries to the Embassy of Greece seeking clarification on matters related to obtaining citizenship remain unanswered. The Embassy and Consulate maintain an icy silence and do not respond to letters, despite the queries being sent by the organization "Patrida," headed by a citizen of both Greece and Armenia. Such neglect appears to be a blatant violation of Articles 10 and 11 of the Constitution of Greece, as well as Article 51 of the Constitution of Armenia. A logical question arises: is the highest leadership of Greece familiar with the fundamental law of their country and the provisions on citizenship? Apparently, the only remaining recourse is an appeal to the judicial authorities of Armenia and Greece. Consultations are currently underway with lawyers and human rights defenders in Armenia. We are confident that in Greece as well, principled lawyers and human rights organizations can be found, ready to assist in restoring justice.

We stand on the brink of losing our identity, our language, our culture. Our children are growing up far from Greece, not knowing its history, not feeling its spirit. The Greeks of Armenia have been unable to obtain citizenship for decades, are forced to leave Armenia and emigrate to various countries around the world, but not to Greece.

And all this is happening due to the indifference and negligence of the Greek authorities, who seem more concerned with momentary political gains than with the fate of their compatriots, by the will of fate their forefathers, who found themselves outside their Homeland. They also see no prospects for further residence in Armenia under the current pro-Turkish, pro-Azerbaijani government. It is already obvious that the country is gradually transitioning into the sphere of influence of Turkey, Azerbaijan, and other countries hostile to Armenians and is becoming a "passageway" on the path to creating Turan.

At the same time, we observe how our historical homeland - Greece - is being filled with foreign ethnicities and religions, people unconnected to Greek culture and history. Tens of thousands of refugees, Africans, representatives of Tungusic-Manchu peoples have flooded the country, and now there is an influx of Pakistanis. Is this not a betrayal of national interests in the context of its national security?

Incidentally, the elected President of Greece takes an oath, which states: "I swear in the name of the Holy, Consubstantial and Indivisible Trinity to keep the Constitution and the laws, to care for their faithful observance, to defend the national independence and territorial integrity of the country, to protect the rights and liberties of the Greeks and to serve the general interest and the progress of the Greek People." As we can see, the oath does not specifically speak of citizens of Greece; it clearly states: "...to protect the rights and liberties of the Greeks and to serve the general interest and the progress of the Greek People." This refers to all Greeks, not only citizens, regardless of their actual place of residence.

I also took an oath when becoming a citizen of Greece, and as a citizen, I am concerned about the state of migration policy in the context of national and state security.

I appeal to all Greeks of the world, to all patriots of our God-protected homeland: do not be silent! Do not allow our country to turn into a faceless territory inhabited by elements foreign to us. We must unite, we must create a powerful patriotic movement that will force the Government of Greece to hear us and act in the interests of the Greek People.

Compatriots!

If there are patriotic unions, trade unions, or parties in the country meant to protect the interests of Greek compatriots residing outside the historical homeland, then the community of Greeks of Armenia "Patrida" is ready to become a part of these unions and contribute its share to the revival of Greece, to the return of its greatness.

God and the memory of our ancestors are with us.

A Citizen of Greece.

 

Head of the Organization of Greeks of Armenia "Patrida" Ed. Polatidis