Helena Paparizou�s victory for Hellas in the 50th Eurovision Contest is evidence of a Hellenic renaissance. It follows on the Euro football triumph and the �dream� Athens Olympics ! For us Aussie Greeks it should be noted that Helena was born and grew up in Sweden and thus her victory was one for all Apodimoi and the links that bind us with the ethnos.
ETHNIKA THEMATA
1. Cyprus. It is extraordinary (and hypocritical) to present the current situation in Cyprus as arising from the rejection of the Annan Plan. Thirty years of occupation and violation of human rights are simply written off and forgotten. Let us remind all and sundry that the cause of the problem was, is and will remain the Turkish invasion, military occupation, ethnic cleansing and colonisation of the occupied territory in order to create a �Turkish Cypriot State� This colonisation continues and in recent months Turkey has settled a further 30,000 colonists raising the total settler population to 150,000 � double the number of Turkish Cypriots. This has led to a construction boom in the occupied territory and the exploitation of property owned by Greek Cypriots. The illegal possession, use and sale of Greek Cypriot property is a major denial of Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights is being swamped with cases which will snowball and may affect Turkey�s European accession. The USA and Russia have now issued directives warning their nationals from buying property in the occupied territory. This is a result of prosecutions being launched by the Cyprus Government against all foreign nationals buying property in the occupied territory. In another development the occupying regime has reportedly purchased the home owned by Titina Loizidou with the intention of returning it to her. On the downside is the news that Gambia is ready to recognise the �TRNC� � to date no state other than the occupying power recognises the entity in occupied Cyprus.
2. Turkey. (a) The EU has sent a clear message to Turkey in relation to its European progress. It has told Turkey to support efforts to solve the Cyprus problem, sign and implement the customs Protocol, to stop obstructing Cyprus from participating in international organizations and to stop impeding the transport and trade of Cypriot products. In an indirect but clear reference to Turkish violations in the Aegean the text highlights that � the formation of the national strategy of Turkey as well as its relations with neighbouring countries, must be determined through political decisions and not decisions taken by the armed forces.� For the first time in an official EU text, �Turkey is requested to refrain from any act that could have a negative effect on a peaceful resolution of differences with other countries.� The report also calls for full respect of religious freedoms and human rights and a request is made for the reopening of the Halki Theological Seminary. And, again for the first time reference is made to the Greek minority on Imbros and Tenedos. Meanwhile the Ecumenical Patriarchate has appealed to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) against the final decision of Turkish Courts to nullify the Patriarchate's right to own real estate on the basis that it is not a legal entity. The case relates to the patriarchate�s orphanage which has been recognised from Ottoman times by sultanic decree. Turkey is finding it difficult to adjust to democracy and European law with 2,781 applications to the ECHR by Turkish citizens in the month of January alone! Turkey must also come to grips with the recognition of the genocide committed against its Christian subjects during and after World War I � something it steadfastly refuses to do.
3. Patriarchate of Jerusalem � Ireneos was formally renounced as Patriarch of Jerusalem by the Holy Synod by majority vote. The decision has been ratified by the Jordanian Government, the Palestinian Authority and a Synod of the 14 Orthodox Churches under the spiritual authority of Ecumenical Patriarch Vartholomeos. The crisis arose as a result of the leasing of Church Land in
old Jerusalem (the Arab sector which is designated as the possible future capital of an independent Palestine) to Jewish interests. Metropolitan Cornelius of Petra has been appointed �ocum tenens� until the Holy Synod appoints a successor to Ireneos, who, in the meantime, has refused to accept the decision. The Patriarchate of Jerusalem has been in Greek hands for 2000 years, operates numerous schools and monasteries and has large landholdings in the Holy Land, Greece and other Orthodox Countries. It has jurisdiction over 250,000 faithful (mostly Arabs) in Israel, Jordan and Palestine.
4. SAE President Andrew Athens has appealed to the Georgian and American Governments to safeguard the lives of elderly Hellenes living in the mountainous Tsalka region of Georgia. The local Hellenic community has been terrorised in recent times � eight have been murdered, many more beaten and their properties destroyed, occupied or looted.
SOCIAL SECURITY AGREEMENT � Hellenic Social Security Minister Panos Panayiotopoulos has written to the Federation of Greek Australian Associations in Hellas outlining the remaining differences with the Australian proposal and requesting their views. The Federation has responded that reluctantly it does not appear to be any other choice but to accept the Australian offer. This response opens the way for Hellas to officially accept in writing Australia�s proposal � a precondition outlined in Senator Patterson�s letter to SAE Oceania. The writer will participate in the AHC delegation that will meet with Senator Kay Patterson and Prime Minister John Howard on 20 June.
HELLENIC CREDIT CARD � Some time ago SAE Oceania entered into an affinity agreement with American Express to establish the Hellenic Credit Card. It is the only one of its kind in Australia and the only Greek Community card in the world. Its subscribers have all the benefits and privileges all American Express cards confer on users with one big difference. Every time you use the Hellenic Credit Card American Express make a contribution to Hellenism. There is no other credit card in the world that makes such a contribution. By using the Hellenic Credit Card you support Hellenism every time you use it � not to mention that it is the best looking credit card you have ever seen. For more particulars call (02) 96674733 or write to email [email protected].
JOTTINGS
� The Hellenic Government has established a new info line for Hellenes living abroad from which they may obtain information on repatriation procedures; births, deaths and marriages certificates. The number is + 30 210 485 7000.
� All Hellenes living abroad who owned property in Hellas (even if it is not income producing) as at 1 January 2005 must lodge an E9 form with a tax office in Hellas no later than 15 July 2005.
� The European Court has upheld a ruling of the European Commission that only Hellas has the right to use the name �fetta� for its traditional white cheese known the world over by that name. Germany and Denmark unsuccessfully challenged Hellas� exclusive use of the name.
� Remnants of Athens ancient port of Phaleron have been discovered by archaeologists 350 metres off the coastal suburb of the same name. Phaleron was Athens� port for seven centuries from Mycenaean times (it is the port from which Theseus sailed to Crete) to the fifth century BC when Themistocles fortified Piraeus and joined it to Athens with the long walls.
� SAE continues to provide medical care for hundreds of thousands of people in the former Soviet Union countries and Albania. The latest effort to provide mammography screening with the most modern equipment has been supported by the Hellene & Hellenic Cypriot Women Organization of NSW who recently donated the sum of $1000. If you would like to support any of SAE�s projects for schools, churches and medical centres you may deposit your donation direct into the following account:- World Council of Hellenes Appeal � CBA 2200 1008 7004
� This Bulletin ends with the enthusiastic words of Helena Paparizou after her Eurovision triumph � �Greeks continue to make history�.
STAY IN TOUCH!
Costa Vertzayias 8 June, 2005
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