Greek Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew stated that Turkish and Greek minorities should not bear the consequences of tensions between Ankara and Athens, calling for these communities in both countries not to be held “hostage” to political disputes.
“In light of our own experience, I can say that it is not fair for the situation of minorities in both countries to be assessed according to the course of Turkish-Greek relations,” Bartholomew told daily Hürriyet in an exclusive interview published on June 12.
He emphasized that Greeks in Türkiye and Turks in Greece are not representatives of their respective states.
“No one should turn us into ‘hostages’ of political conflicts and calculations,” he said.
Bartholomew also noted that significant steps were taken in Türkiye, particularly between 2000 and 2010, which contributed to improving the position of non-Muslim minorities in society and their relations with the state administration.
He added that substantial progress has indeed been achieved since 2000, a development he attributed not only to political will but also to Türkiye’s rapprochement process with the European Union.
Referring to the restoration of the long-closed Halki Seminary on Heybeliada on one of the Istanbul’s Princes’ Islands, he said the restoration is expected to be completed in September.
However, he stressed that reopening academic activities would require approval from the Education Ministry.
“As long as I live, I hope to witness this becoming a reality and to see our school revived with new students in its classrooms. If permission is granted for its operation, we would like to inaugurate it together with the participation of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan,” he said.
On relations between Ankara and Athens, he added that the Patriarchate and himself consistently advocate reconciliation and dialogue, stressing that dialogue remains the only viable path toward resolving all forms of disputes between peoples, societies and states.
