The Greek government has known since 2020 of Erdogan's decision to Islamize our cultural heritage. We all know that our country's policy towards Turkey is to maintain a relationship of understanding and mutual understanding with the aim of gradually finding a solution to the important disagreements that exist and will inevitably always exist between the two neighboring countries.
But while this Greece-Turkey status is supposed to be respected, the "friendly" country does not stop attacking us in every possible way. The truth, of course, is that the Greek government knew from 2020 about Erdogan's decision to Islamize our cultural heritage.
First he initiated the conversion of Hagia Sophia into an Islamic mosque in the most extreme and provocative manner, and upset the whole civilized world. The Blue Homeland followed. The Sultan is trying to create a generation with the Ottoman vision of the Blue Homeland.
According to the revisionist and redemptive doctrine of Turkish Geopolitics, Turkey disputes the sovereignty of the Greek islands of the Aegean. The new generation of Turks must be made aware that the islands in the Aegean are theirs, they are the islands that... Greece stole!
Thus, the Ministry of Education decided that the Blue Homeland should be officially included in the curriculum of all levels of education. Besides, a few days before the official visit of the Greek Prime Minister to Istanbul, the Prime Minister of Turkey is celebrating the conversion of the Holy Monastery of Chora, a museum with priceless mosaics and frescoes, into a mosque, emphasizing his sensitivity for his cultural heritage, and persistently ignoring that the monastery, like Hagia Sophia, are top monuments in the list of world cultural heritage, our common heritage. At the same time, the Turkish Prime Minister started the aeronautical exercise "Thalassolykos" even though he had canceled it.
And the Greek prime minister goes to the meeting with him, in the context of the peaceful relationship between the two countries. Erdogan's strategic policy is in complete conflict with the cultural policy of the West. Erdogan considers his actions to be a strategic threat, but Greece, as well as the United Europe, must answer him directly and practically that he is committing an unprecedented historical, religious and cultural misstep.
Besides, Erdoğan himself, who claims to be the only one capable of harmoniously developing his country's relations with East and West, with this act effectively dissolves the legacy of the secular character of the Turkish state, and states in the clearest way Turkey's position outside the boundaries of Western legal and political culture. With what understanding and mood of consultation can the meetings and discussions of the two Prime Ministers take place? By what logic can we tolerate the Sultan triumphantly protecting the… heritage of his ancestors?
The president of the Parnassos Philological Association, professor V. Konstantinopoulos, in his article entitled "Which blue homeland are you talking about, Mr. Erdogan?" he characteristically points out: "Your pompous phraseology is a Hitler-style infamy and you can be sure that this infamy will be followed by nemesis, just as it happened to all the invaders from the East". It is necessary, in my humble opinion, for the Greek government to carefully and seriously review its position.
I do not disagree that mutual understanding and a good disposition to deal with our differences with Turkey would be the ideal relationship between our countries. However, this attitude is misinterpreted provocatively and strongly offensively by the Turkish prime minister. Greece has both scientists and diplomats and politicians capable of finding a way so that Erdogan does not insult and constantly threaten our proud people. At the same time, Europe should also change its tactics.
Besides, all our candidates for MEPs, regardless of party, must be aware of this serious issue and strengthen with their presence in Europe any change in the course of the policy decided by the experts, whom, regardless of party identity, the Greek government has the possibility to convene.
The absence of a proper response to the insult of the Sultan on behalf of all of Europe, including of course our country, unfortunately justifies the assessment of the French philosopher Edgar Morin, that Europe has not progressed either as a political consciousness, or as a cultural consciousness, but nor as a democratic conscience.
What a shame!
photo fromsalih / https://pixabay.com
