In a major escalation of aggressive rhetoric by Ankara, Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay signaled on Saturday that the Erdogan government has set its eyes on taking over the Greek islands close to Turkey.
In an interview with the state-run Anadolu Agency, Oktay held up a map of the Greek islands in the eastern Aegean and told viewers: “Think about Sakiz [Chios]. Just one kilometer away from the Turkish coast. Where is Athens?”
“Look where is Meis [Kastellorizo],” he continued. “It’s just two kilometers from the [Turkish city of] Kas. Don’t my citizens in Kas see this? Every morning when they wake up they cry their heart out.”
Turkish Vice-President Fuat Oktay signaled on Saturday that the Erdogan government has set its eyes on taking over the Greek islands close to Turkey.
The Vice-President added that Turkey will not allow this to continue, saying “we will tear up this map and we will tear up those who think of this map. We will crush them when necessary.”
“If Athens’ attempts to expand its territorial waters isn’t a cause of war, then what is?” Oktay asked.
In response, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued the following statement:
“Turkey’s unprecedented belief that it can threaten neighboring countries with the use of force when they exercise their legal rights is contrary to contemporary political culture and also the fundamental provisions of international law.
“The exercise of Greece’s sovereign rights is not subject to any form of Turkish veto.”
A wildfire erupted on Sunday near the ruins of the Bronze Age site of Mycenae in Greece, prompting the evacuation of visitors to the archaeological site.
According to local media, the fire started near the tomb of Agamemnon, the king of Mycenae who was killed during the Trojan war.
The flames licked the ruins but the fire department insisted there was no danger to the museum on the site in Greece’s Peloponnese region.
The flames licked the ruins but the fire department insisted there was no danger to the site’s museum. Photo: Eurokinissi / AFP.
The blaze went through “a section of the archaeological site and burnt some dry grass without menacing the museum,” the commander of the southern Peloponnese region’s fire brigade, Thanassis Koliviras, told Athens News Agency.
In an announcement, the Ministry of Culture also attempted to downplay the damage caused to the ancient site.
“The fire did not cause damage to the antiquities, as far as it can be assessed at this time,” it says.
However, the same announcement acknowledges that certain areas within the archaeological site were affected.
Specifically, the East Wing of the Palace, the Northern Warehouses, the area of the archaic temple at the top of the hill, the upper western slope of the Acropolis, the south-west District and the area of the Religious Center of Mycenae.
A force of 27 firefighters, a ground team and eight fire brigades, assisted by two aircraft and a helicopter, are currently working to put out the blaze.
Smoke covers the site. Photo: Vangelis Bougiotis / EPA.
Greece grapples with wildfires every year during the dry summer season, with strong winds and temperatures frequently exceeding 30 degrees.
Two years ago, 102 people died in the coastal resort of Mati near Athens in Greece’s worst fire disaster.
Thousands of people flocked to the National Historical Museum in Athens over the past six months to witness the 1821 Greek War of Independence come to life in the form of plastic Playmobil figurines and accessories within dioramas.
Laskarina Bouboulina, Theodoros Kolokotronis and Markos Botsaris were only a few of the personalities and scenes depicted in more than 20 fascinating Playmobil dioramas and 3D scenery exhibited there.
Photo: National Historical Museum
The exhibition was the result of the museum’s collaboration with Playmobil collectors, who own commemorative pieces not commercially available, and is supported by Playmobil Hellas.
Head of the National Historical Museum Efthymia Papaspyrou said that “(historic) events do not change but the time that passes changes the way we view and project them. They are represented in art with a fresh and more creative outlook, utilising modern methods that make them more accessible and attractive.”
Photo: National Historical Museum
It is a “complex and difficult dream” said Irene Efremidis, marketing director of Playmobil Hellas, who emphasised that “the purpose for which Playmobil was created will have been achieved, if this exhibition helps even slightly some of the visitors to connect with their history, take a brief look at the past, and become a little more interested in what happened 200 years ago.”
Visitors had the opportunity to search for specific heroes, play entertaining board games, and even virtually launch a naval attacks against a Turkish two-decker ship.
The exhibition was part of the National Historical Museum’s program of events in celebration of the upcoming 200th anniversary of the Greek War of Independence.
Sunday’s scheduled Greek Cup final between Olympiakos and AEK Athens is set to be postponed after a third Olympiakos player tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, Greek media reported.
No official decision has been taken yet by the Greek federation but it seems highly unlikely that the match will be held as the Olympiakos squad must be placed in quarantine for the next 48 hours, according to health protocol rules.
Argentine midfielder Maximiliano Lovera tested positive for Covid-19 on Saturday and will be in quarantine for the next 15 days while Portuguese defender Ruben Semedo and Greek goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis were already self-isolating.
The Olympiakos team must be tested again for the virus on Sunday and Monday before being allowed to resume training.
The federation must now reschedule the match sometime next month, after the Greek national team’s Nations League games on September 3 and 6 but before the start of the new league season on September 12.
Is there something specific you wanted to see at next year’s celebration of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution? Was there a specific performance or dancing group you think should be presented?
The National Committee of the 200th anniversary of the Greek Revolution (1821-2021) have called on the public to submit proposals for activities or events for next years celebration.
The National Committee is in charge of organising nation-wide activities and events on behalf of the Holy Archdiocese of Australia and other relevant bodies, Greek Associations and Organisations in honour of the 200th anniversary of the ‘National Rebirth of Greece’, as well as the coordination of related activities and events throughout Australia.
Before the official program is announced at the end of October of this year, the Committee are working to prepare the final touches to make sure the celebration is to be remembered for the next 200 years. They, therefore, invite all interested parties to express their interest and submit their proposals for activities and events.
Responsible coordinators for each state and region are actively working to make sure the event is prepared with efficiency, with the full list of coordinators and representatives to be seen: HERE.
People are invited to contact the Secretary of the National Committee, Dr Vasilis Adrahtas by Monday 12 October on goaanationalcommittee2021@gmail.com or mobile: 0431 262 823.
There are approximately 182,000 Melbournians that come from either Greek or Cypriot heritage, making up approximately 2.7 percent of the city’s 4.936 million people.
Since the start of the pandemic, there has been a total of 25,448 COVID-19 cases and 583 deaths in Australia, with 496 of those deaths from Victoria.
The Greek Herald has identified 93 deaths as being of people with Greek heritage, with closer approximations averaging at around 105 Greek deaths.
This means that of the Australians that have tragically passed from the devastating pandemic, one in five have come from a Greek background.
Aged Care facilities fail to prevent hundreds of lives lost
Aged Care homes have been the main source of outbreak in Victoria with 1,779 COVID-19 patients having being linked to Australian Government–subsidised residential aged care facilities. Of these 1,779 patients, 358 have tragically lost their life, including approximately 30 deaths at St Basil’s Aged Care facility in Fawkner.
The St Basil’s Aged Care facility in Fawkner was one of the first major outbreaks in Victoria which cost the lives of many elderly citizens.
At least 40 Victorian aged care facilities, mainly in Melbourne, have recorded at least one case of COVID-19.(ABC News: Nic MacBean)
Lawsuits initiated by the children of victims have accused the facility of failing to heed warnings about COVID-19 and operating in breach of state and federal regulations. Lawsuits also allege that staff were not given adequate protective equipment.
The daughter of Fotini Atzarakis, a St Basil’s resident who died last month, described the facility as a “hellhole”, saying her death was “preventable” to The Herald Sun.
Epping Gardens aged-care facility have also been faced with legal action after they became responsible for over 300 infections and multiple deaths. The aged-care home is operated by Heritage Care, with two Greek owners Tony Antonopoulos and Peter Arvanitis facing massive backlash due to their failure to handle the incident.
A man ho lost his 92-year-old at Epping Gardens will be the lead plaintiff in a class action being brought by Carbone Lawyers, which is representing about 30 families with relatives who have either died at the home or who were living there until recently.
The Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has said, speaking about some of the private aged care facilities hit by COVID-19 outbreaks, “I would not let my mum be in some of these places, I just wouldn’t.”
Failure to contain
While the federal government is in charge of all international border management, it is up to the state leaders to maintain quarantine measures to contain the spread of the virus.
Victorian Premier Dan Andrews has faced backlash from his own political party for his management of the crisis, particularly with his lack of accountability in the coronavirus hotel quarantine plan.
Two weeks ago, when the virus was approaching its peak in the southern state, Dan Andrews rejected the claim that ADF support was offered to him. Not long after, Defence Minister Linda Reynolds made waste to the Premier’s claim.
“The ADF was consistently advised that its assistance was not required for any ‘public facing roles’ in Victoria,” she said in a statement.
“ADF officials asked whether Victorian authorities required assistance with its mandatory quarantine system on multiple occasions. No request for quarantine support was subsequently received from Victoria at that time.”
This quarantine failure was ultimately one of the several sparks in the failed wire that was the Victorian government’s handling of the virus.
Victoria reached a historic milestone this morning, with the health department recording less than 100 new cases of the virus in the past 24 hours, with 18 lives being lost. Victorians are still being urged to not leave their homes unless for absolutely necessary reasons.
Greek writer and historian Antonis A. Chaldeos will present a virtual lecture entitled “The Greeks of the Sudan” next Thursday as part of the Greek History and Culture Seminars offered by the Greek Community of Melbourne.
Because of its geographical position and its natural resources, Sudan was a territory with great political and economic importance. The Greeks’ presence in Sudan dates back to the first quarter of 19th century when they accompanied the Egyptian military campaign of 1821.
Gradually Greeks moved southwards throughout the biggest country of Africa and settled even in the most desolated areas, when no European had ever visited. Apart from being the most populous European community, Greeks were among the protagonists in Sudanese political and economic history.
In the 19th century, they fought besides General Gordon during the legendary siege of Khartoum. Later they were Kitchener’s army main suppliers in his effort to conquer Sudan. Since Greeks were also pioneers in the economic field, they contributed to Sudan’s development.
Actually their role is widely recognised and by far they are regarded as one of the major pillars of Sudan’s economic transformation during the first quarter of the 20th century. Finally, Greeks were also present in the struggle of South Sudan which led to its independence in 2011.
Photo: Supplied
Antonis A. Chaldeos is a Greek historian and writer. He studied Social Anthropology and History and he holds a Ph.D in history from the University of Johannesburg. His scientific field involves the study of the Greek diaspora. He has taken part in international conferences and published 8 books and several articles in peer-reviewed journals. In 2017, he was honoured with the St. Marcos Holy Cross by the Patriarchate of Alexandria for his contribution to the promotion of the Hellenism in Africa.
Location: Zoom Webinar: https://bit.ly/2FJb7vI
YouTube Live Stream: https://www.youtube.com/user/gocmv
The Turkish government’s decision to convert the Chora Monastery into a mosque has been labelled an act of “symbolic violence” by Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou.
The Byzantine Church of the Holy Savior in Chora in Istanbul was originally built in the 4th century, and was was comprehensively rebuilt around 1077-81. It was turned into the Kariye Museum after WWII and was evidently restored, then becoming a UNESCO world heritage site.
Η απόφαση του Προέδρου της Τουρκίας να μετατρέψει σε τέμενος, μετά την Αγία Σοφία, και τη Μονή της Χώρας, την μοναδική…
Sakellaropoulou says the conversion of the Church is also “an act dictated by political arrogance, cultural insecurity, religious intolerance that condemns a treasure of Christian art and cultural nobility to obscurity.”
The change in its status was passed in December 2019 but the decision of the State Council of Turkey had not been implemented until this month.
His Eminence Archbishop Makarios responded to the Turkish decree last week, saying it was a decision that “intensifies our frustration and concern”.
“The Turkish political leadership insists on following a path of disrespect for religious monuments of the Orthodox Church but also displays contempt for monuments that constitute a part of the world’s cultural heritage,” His Eminence said.
The Turkish government decree comes only a few months after the provocative decision to convert the historic Hagia Sophia church to a mosque.
Have the dreamy Greek eyes grabbed your attention yet? Panagiotis Vasilakos will steal the hearts of Greek women as he prepares to become the first ever Greek contestant on the popular reality television series ‘The Bachelor Greece’.
Running on American and Australian television for over 18 years, racking up multiple seasons each year with ‘Bachelorette’ and ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ spinoffs, the series is one of televisions most watched programmes.
20 women will attempt to win the love and attention of Vasilakos as they attempt to charm him with their personality and looks. By the end, only one will steal the Greek mans heart.
“Every week at the Rose Ceremony, I will give a flower to as many women as I want to keep. Those who do not get a rose leaves ‘The Bachelor’.”
The 30-year-old Panagiotis is originally from Mani and has been playing football since he was a student.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CEUsH96l_Lb/
Panagiotis Vasilakos also has featured on the exclusive catwalks. He collaborated with the Italian La Perla, while the Italian company Versace also asked for his exclusive collaboration.
The Bachelor Greece will begin airing in September on Alpha.
The European Union is preparing sanctions against Turkey that could be discussed at the bloc’s next summit on Sept. 24 in response to the eastern Mediterranean dispute with Greece, the EU’s top diplomat said on Friday.
The measures, meant to limit Turkey’s ability to explore for natural gas in contested waters, could affect individuals, ships or the use of European ports, Josep Borrell said. The EU would focus on everything related to “activities we consider illegal”, he added.
Borrell spoke in Berlin where EU foreign ministers met to discuss support for Greece after Athens ratified a pact on its maritime boundaries to counter Turkey’s claims to energy resources in the region.
In a fresh sign of tensions, Turkey’s Defence Ministry said Turkish F-16 jets on Thursday prevented six Greek F-16 jets which took off from the island of Crete from entering an area where Ankara is conducting maritime activity.
Sidelines of the informal talks of the EU foreign ministers in Berlin, Germany, Friday, Aug. 28, 2020. (Kay Nietfeld/dpa via AP)
Greek media reported that Turkish fighter aircraft had harassed Greek jets which were returning to base on Crete. Accusations and counter accusations on military issues are common between the two NATO allies.
In Berlin, Borrell said the bloc was ready to sanction Turkish vessels, block their access to EU ports and cut off supplies.
Possible Sanctions
“We can go to measures related to sectoral activities … where the Turkish economy is related to the European economy,” Borrell told a news conference, referring to possible sanctions.
Turkey’s foreign ministry said the EU had no basis for its stance and rejected Greek maritime claims. President Tayyip Erdogan told NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg Turkey will continue to protect its rights and interests everywhere.
“Our President told him NATO must fulfill its responsibility against unilateral steps which disregard international law and harm regional peace,” Erdogan’s office said in a statement.
In this photo provided by the Greek Defense Ministry, warships take part in a military exercise in Eastern Mediterranean sea, Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. (Greek Defense Ministry via AP)
France has notably taken a tough stance on Turkey’s actions in the eastern Mediterranean and French President Emmanuel Macron said on Friday this was to set red lines because Ankara respects actions not words.
Borrell and German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said the EU first wanted to give dialogue a chance to cool tensions.
Turkey is a formal candidate to join the EU, although its candidacy is at risk and could be withdrawn as a type of sanction, diplomats have said.
Two senior EU diplomats told Reuters that foreign ministers agreed to leave any decision to EU government leaders, who are set to meet for a two-day summit from Sept. 24.
“Nothing will be decided before the September European Council,” a senior diplomat said, although the envoy added that Turkey could also be rewarded with greater access to the EU’s market of 450 million consumers if it curtailed its drilling.
