Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has been targeted by the Turkish ultranationalist retired admiral theoretician of the Blue Homeland, Cihat Yaycı, who called for his prosecution for activities aimed against the “integrity of Turkey”.
The occasion was the recent participation of Bartholomew at the “Bahrain Dialogue Forum Interreligious Symposium: held in Bahrain and the use of the term “Ecumenical” by the head of the Orthodox Church.
Yaycı’s provocative position is the subject of Friday’s front page of Yeni Akit newspaper entitled: “Let a stop be said to the Patriarch who seeks Progress”, commenting provocatively that: “Greece imprisons the elected muftis in Western Thrace, persecutes Muslims and converts the mosques into barns, while the Roman Patriarch Bartholomew calls himself ‘Ecumenical’ by seeking treason.
The former Chief of the General Staff of the Naval Forces of Turkey, and head of the Naval and Strategic Studies Center of the private Bakhceşehir University, requests that the Ecumenical Patriarch “have the same treatment as the elected ‘Turkish” muftis of Western Thrace,” as he says, arguing that the Greek authorities have imposed “bans” on minority muftis in violation of rights deriving from international agreements.
The publication blames the fact that Patriarch Bartholomew “calls himself” Ecumenical and makes official visits to foreign states, with honours of head of state.
According to Yaycı, the Ecumenical Patriarch should function and to act as a Turkish citizen and religious minister of the Turkish Republic, while asking Ankara not only to prohibit him from using the terms: “Constantinople”, “State of New Rome” and “Ecumenical”, but also to cancel his passport and to receive the same treatment as that of the Greek authorities towards the unelected muftis of Thrace.
Yaycıi’s anger is diffused against the head of the Orthodox Church, whom he accuses of actions aimed at the integrity of Turkey, while he wonders why “no one in Turkey calls for an account” from the Patriarch.
READ MORE: Turks triggered by image of Greek God Kratos in Istanbul metro.
