The deputy of the Greek parliament from the MERA25 party, Maria Apatzidi, sent an appeal to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias to lift the ban on the right of Crimean Greeks to visit Greece. Apatzidi told RIA Novosti that the sanctions policy of the European Union does not serve the interests of Europe, it only adds to the problems, and the Greek government is obliged to protect the rights of Greeks in European institutions.
The MP calls on Greece to defend the rights of peoples.
Apatzidi, in a letter to the Foreign Ministry, refers to the statement of the Greek club “Friends of Crimea”, which says that because of the sanctions, an unthinkable situation has developed, and the Greeks of Crimea are prohibited from traveling to Greece because of the EU’s disagreement with the policy pursued by Russia in its conflict with Ukraine.
Apatzidi criticizes European sanctions.
“The EU sanctions policy does not serve European interests, on the contrary, it only adds problems and disagreements to the Old Continent, which suffers from such a policy. The only interests it can serve are those of the short-sighted and outdated politicians of the transatlantic “allies” who dictate them To serve these interests, and only them, alien to both Greece and Europe as a whole, the Greek political leadership condemns part of Hellenism to a ban on entry to Greece”, – the letter says.
The MP said that Greece has a special privilege – to unite peoples and cultures, since it occupies a special place on the world map, at the crossroads of peoples and their ways, with its great culture, which has been formed over the centuries as a result of continuous interaction with dozens of other cultures in the region and beyond, and especially with its people, who live and create in all corners of the planet, not forgetting about their origin and history.
“This privilege is at the same time its duty to humanity and to Europe in particular. Greece cannot be anything other than an organ of peace, cooperation and unity of peoples. It cannot represent anything other than Europe, respecting the needs and interests but also the right to self-determination of their peoples”, – the letter says.
According to the deputy, Europe should not sacrifice the well-being and peaceful coexistence of the people for the sake of narrow interests, especially those of others.
“The right of the Greek minority in Crimea to visit Greece is self-evident, and the Greek government is obliged to protect it in European institutions and do it immediately”, – the letter says.
The deputy asks the minister if he is going to intervene immediately to stop the irrational attitude towards the Crimean Greeks and lift the ban on their right to visit Greece.
Parliamentary procedure
According to the regulations of the Greek parliament, MPs have the right to ask written questions to competent ministers on any public issues, Apatzidi explained to RIA Novosti.
“Ministers must answer the questions in writing within 25 days from the date of their submission, otherwise the answers are considered overdue. The minister has the right not to answer the question. If the answer is given, then the answers of the ministers to the questions of the deputies are recorded in the minutes of the parliament”, – said Apatzidi.
According to her, she is especially closely following the situation in the Black Sea region, since she is a Pontic Greek.
“As a woman member of the Greek Parliament, originally from Pontus, I am especially interested in and closely follow the developments in the Black Sea region in general and in Crimea in particular. MERA25 and I personally believe that human rights should not act a la carte (at the request of In this context of human rights protection, I decided to ask the competent minister a question about the ban on the right of the Greeks of Crimea to visit Greece”, – Apatzidi said.
“The Greek Foreign Ministry blindly follows the requirements of the European Union, even if they contradict the protection of the rights of Greeks, whether they are citizens, or whether they are of Greek origin, in the long-suffering region of Crimea”, the deputy said.