K. Mitsotakis in Imbria club: ‘Greece will stand by you wholeheartedly’

“In your activities you will have the full support of the Greek government, which is fully aware of its debt to one of the oldest centers of our nation in the Aegean. Strengthening you materially and morally and pressing in every international forum Turkey to respect what it has Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed in his greeting at the online cutting of the Imbria association’s pie.

The Prime Minister pointed out that some steps have been taken as the Greek schools that were closed illegally in 1964 are welcoming students again. “We will continue to support their reopening with the secondment of mobile teachers. However, we will not stop reminding Ankara of its official commitments, because the Greeks of Imvros are Turkish citizens with full rights. And any discrimination against them does not “It violates not only the Treaty of Lausanne, but also the international conventions on the protection of human rights. Turkey, therefore, is called upon to respect them with equality and justice,” he said.

K. Mitsotakis also referred to the Ecumenical Patriarch, saying: “Recently, three decades of enlightened journey of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew were completed. “in Athens. I greet him from here and wish him a long day from the bottom of my heart.”

In closing, Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated that “Greece will wholeheartedly stand by your side for the progress of Imbrian Hellenism and the redress of the historical injustices it has suffered over time. And I hope that we will soon have the opportunity to meet closely on your historic island.” .

The greeting of the Prime Minister

Dear friends,

Along with my wishes for health and prosperity for the new year, I thank you from the bottom of my heart for the invitation to welcome the online cutting of the Imbria Association pie. The pandemic unfortunately keeps us away this year as well. It does not weaken, however, the ties of the Greeks wherever they land. And especially those who have been severely tested in history.

Your Association, however, from its foundation in 1945 until today, keeps alive the long history of Imvros and Tenedos, strengthening the presence of the Greeks in their ancestral cradles. Something I found out personally, when I visited your beautiful island with Patriarch Bartholomew.

In your activities you will have the full support of the Greek government, which is fully aware of its debt to one of the oldest centers of our nation in the Aegean. Strengthening you materially and morally and pressing in every international forum Turkey to respect what it has signed. Some steps have been taken. For example, Greek schools that closed illegally in 1964 welcome students again. We will continue to support their reopening by posting mobile teachers. However, we will not stop reminding Ankara of its official commitments. Because the Greeks of Imvros are Turkish citizens with full rights. And any discrimination against them is not only contrary to the Treaty of Lausanne, but also to the international conventions on the protection of Human Rights. Turkey, therefore, is called upon to respect them with equality and justice.

Friends

Three decades of enlightened journey of the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew have recently been completed. An Imbrian with a global radiance, but who is constantly struggling for his birthplace. We talked about her, in fact, a lot at our meeting in Athens. I greet him from here and wish him a long day from the bottom of my heart.

I close by reiterating that Greece will wholeheartedly stand by your side for the progress of the Imbrian Hellenism and the redress of the historical injustices that it has suffered over time. And I hope we will soon have the opportunity to meet you up close on your historic island.

Happy New Year, then, with health and strength to you and your families.