Informed by MEP and member of the Security and Defence Committee and coordinator of the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, Nikolas Farantouris, on the agreement between Greece and Egypt on the Monastery of Sinai, which was mentioned yesterday in Parliament by Prime Minister Mitsotakis. The Greek Prime Minister said that “I can announce to the House that there has been a preliminary common understanding between the two sides on this issue”.

In a statement from Brussels, the Greek MEP asked for information on the content of this “preliminary common understanding” and specifically on “the ownership status and the legislative or judicial steps for the annulment of the unacceptable decision that reverses the ownership of the monastery for 1600 years.”

“I remind the Prime Minister that the problem has arisen now and does not ‘go back centuries’ as he wrongly stated in Parliament. On the contrary, there is an unshakable ownership of the monastery for 1600 years. Both the Prime Minister and the Foreign Secretary talk about preserving the “character” of the Monastery, not the “ownership” of the Monastery which is the issue. Why? Without registered ownership of land and buildings, St Catherine’s will be transformed from a living monastic community into an empty tourist enclosure”, the Greek MEP notes. He continues.

“We need to know if it has been agreed that ownership is being given to Egypt, so that it should then be agreed what Egypt will allow inside the ‘house’ of the monastic community. Corriere della Sera revealed that there was a deal for Greece’s silence and that the Sinai Monastery was “given” in exchange for barter. No one has denied it. Will the government finally take a stand on the international press reports that expose it?”

“The Prime Minister went to Egypt again, met the President of the country for the umpteenth time and did not dare to utter a word about a monument that is a World Heritage Site,” he continued.

The MEP also referred to the letter he sent to UNESCO on September 2 on the issue, but also to the initiatives with the US Congressman of Greek origin Gus Bilirakis to collect signatures in Congress, as well as to the recent event in which he participated in Washington in the presence of important personalities in support of the monastery. “I asked for international intervention. I sent an official letter to the Executive Board of UNESCO. Congress was mobilized. Personalities and institutions all over the world were mobilized. But from the Greek government’s silence.”

Pressure to “close the matter”

Finally, Farantouris referred to the pressures that seem to be exerted on the monastery and the monks: “There is a strong rumour that with the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Sinai, Simeon, Egypt will have a legal document ready like the one hinted at yesterday by the Greek Prime Minister.

And the monastic community and the new Abbot and Archbishop of Sinai will be pressured to sign, even in the presence of the Prime Minister and government officials at a “solemn” event in Sinai for the alleged “settlement” of the problem, at the moment when the ownership (ownership) of the monastery will be finally transferred.” This is what is rumoured. The Prime Minister must provide answers. And he should do it now.”