The Ecumenical Patriarch has come under fire from the Turkish government following provocative comments from Devlet Bahçeli, a key coalition partner of President Erdogan. In a recent address to his party’s parliamentary group, Bahçeli claimed, "There is no Ecumenical Patriarch, nor a city named Constantinople."
Reported by Skai.gr, Bahçeli's speech was rife with nationalist fervour. He declared, “Our inspiration is the resolve to reclaim islands, Western Thrace, and Thessaloniki into Turkish territory.”
Bahçeli also criticized the recent summit invitation extended to the "Greek Patriarch of the Phanar," a term he used to refer to the Ecumenical Patriarch. He condemned the designation "Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople" and was particularly outraged that the Ecumenical Patriarch signed the final declaration of the summit.
"An unacceptable issue is the invitation of the Greek Patriarch of the Phanar to the summit, calling him the 'Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople,' and his signing of the final declaration," Bahçeli remarked. "The Summit for Peace in Ukraine deliberately disregarded the sovereignty of the Republic of Turkey and the provisions of the Treaty of Lausanne."
Bahçeli further contested the existence of "Constantinople" within modern Turkey, arguing that the title has no legitimacy. He stated, "There is no city named 'Constantinople' within the borders of the Republic of Turkey. The universal title lacks validity or legitimacy. Those who argue otherwise are Byzantium sympathizers and adversaries of the Muslim Turkish nation. No one has the authority to transform Constantinople into a second Vatican."
He highlighted the city's national and spiritual importance, emphasizing, "Constantinople, our conquest's heritage, epitomizes our national and spiritual dignity. The reversion of Hagia Sophia into a mosque and its reopening for Muslim worship has alarmed many and driven them to irrationality since that day."
Turkey Requests Removal of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew's Signature from Ukraine Summit Declaration
The escalation of pressure on the Ecumenical Patriarch continues, as Turkey demanded the removal of Patriarch Bartholomew's signature from the joint declaration issued at the Ukraine summit held in Switzerland. Turkey successfully lobbied to have his signature expunged from the official document.
Öncü Keçeli, spokesperson for the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, explained Turkey’s position on Bartholomew's signing of the declaration. He stated, “When Turkey's signature was initially added to the joint declaration, the signature of the Greek Patriarchate (as Turkey refers to the Ecumenical Patriarchate) was not included. This inclusion was infeasible since the Patriarchate was merely an observer. The signature was appended to the Joint Declaration several days post-event. Following intervention from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Swiss and Ukrainian authorities issued a revised list excluding the Patriarchate's signature," said Keçeli.
Keçeli also noted that Turkey had expressed its concerns regarding Bartholomew's participation to the summit organizers both prior to and during the event. "When Ankara's concerns were disregarded, the Turkish Republic took swift and necessary actions," he added.
Patriarchate removed from Ukraine summit statement following Turkish protests: report
According to a capture of the relevant Swiss Foreign Ministry website on the Internet Archive’s WaybackMachine, the Ecumenical Patriarchate first appeared as a signatory of the declaration on June 17.
The Ecumenical Patriarchate no longer appears as a signatory on the current list on the website, which now states, however: “The Ecumenical Patriarchate attended the summit as observer and supports the principles set forth in the joint communique.”
