Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias stated their support for the Greek minority of Imbros, an Aegean island that forms part of the Republic of Turkey, on Sunday during the annual New Year’s event of the Imbros Association of Athens.
“You will have the full support of the Greek government in your efforts,” stated Mitsotakis, adding that “We will reinforce you both materially and morally, pressing Turkey in every international forum to respect what it has signed.” The prime minister recognized that some steps have been taken, like the reopening of schools that were arbitrarily shut down in 1964, but pointed out that there is still much to do until the citizens of Imbros, full Turkish citizens, have equal rights.
“Greece stands with you wholeheartedly,” he concluded.
Nikos Dendias also spoke on the issue of equal rights for the Greek minority of the small Aegean island, calling on Turkey to respect Article 14 of the Treaty of Lausanne which calls for guarantees for the population of the island. He assured participants that the Foreign Ministry was going to great lengths to help aid and preserve the legacy of the Greek minority on the island.
“We will continue to be by your side, utilising every tool available to us to achieve this goal,” Dendias said, adding that “we will, at any given a chance, remind Turkey of its commitments and publicise the injustices that the Greeks of Imbros suffer.” [AMNA]