Foreign Ministry responds to territorial threats by Thessaloniki Metropolitan Anthimos

Friday, 09 November 2007

The Foreign Ministry issued Thursday a press release, stressing its concern over the statements of Greek Orthodox Church Metropolitan Anthimos concerning Macedonia's territorial integrity, given at a Thessaloniki event three days ago. "It is disturbing to hear part of the Metropolitan's extremist speech, in which he calls for 'a campaign to conquer Bitola', underlining, "Greece is missing the piece from Macedonia near Bitola and its surrounding", reads the press release. The Ministry condemns such statements given by high Greek society representatives, who have large influence on Greece's political scene. The Ministry expresses its concern and regret that the call of Metropolitan Anthimos for a campaign towards Bitola has not been condemned or rejected neither by Greek Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, nor Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis. The Foreign Ministry expects both - being the biggest champions for good neighborly relations at the Balkans in their statements, as well as the loudest critics of each initiative for irrendentism - to immediately and unequivocally condemn such statements, which pose an indirect threat to the territorial integrity of the Republic of Macedonia. "We believe that such condemnation would be a modest contribution to our friendly relations in the future. Moreover, such a move should discourage extremists in Greece, creating room for the forces of reason", reads the press release. The Foreign Ministry will inform all relevant international institutions on the incident, because "it drastically violates the spirit of the Interim Agreement signed between Macedonia and Greece in September 1995".

 

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