Does anyone know where this 'New Rome' is?

You may remember the events that took place on March 25, the 204th anniversary of Greece's bloody uprising against the Ottoman Empire.

During the military parade held in the presence of the President, the Speaker of Parliament, and the Prime Minister, students from the Greek Naval Academy shouted heavy insults at Turkey and chanted slogans claiming, “Cyprus is Greek.”

Our government's media immediately rolled up its sleeves and published statements from “Greek authorities” saying, “This is unacceptable. Necessary measures will be taken...” They announced that an investigation had been launched into the incident and that those responsible might be dismissed... It was also reported, citing sources from our Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that “an explanation was requested from Greece and that Turkish authorities hold Greek Defense Minister Dendias responsible for the incident.”

Days passed; not only did the Greek authorities fail to make any statement, but they also provided no explanation to Turkey.

Ultimately, 18 days after the incident, we learned through a report by the Anadolu Agency's Athens bureau that “it was decided to impose a 20-day prison sentence on some of the officials held responsible for the situation, and lighter sentences on others identified as being involved in the incident.”

Even though we do not know who the “officials held responsible for the situation” are or what the other “lighter sentences” are, we understood this:

The penalty for insulting the great Republic of Turkey and shouting Enosis aspirations for Cyprus in front of the Greek state protocol is a mere 20-day prison sentence.

Our officials were apparently satisfied, as no one asked, “What kind of sentence is this?”

The only thing I am curious about is this:

I wonder if those who dismissed our 5 lieutenants and three commanders from the Turkish Armed Forces on charges of “indiscipline” for crossing swords among themselves after the official ceremony at the Military Academy and saying, “We are the soldiers of Mustafa Kemal,” also approved of these sentences given to Greek soldiers?!

NO TURKS, ONLY MUSLIMS

Another incident from Greece.

As is known, the use of the name “Turk” is not permitted there, and associations using the word “Turk” are being shut down despite ECHR rulings.

April 14 was the 98th anniversary of the founding of the Xanthi Turkish Union in Western Thrace.

The following post was shared on our Ministry of Foreign Affairs' social media account:

“Happy 98th anniversary to the Xanthi Turkish Union, the oldest non-governmental organization of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority! In accordance with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights, we support the Union's rightful efforts and honorable struggle to use its own name.”

Responding to this statement on the same day, the Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs argued that “the Treaty of Lausanne clearly and explicitly refers to a religious minority in Thrace, not an ethnic one,” and claimed that “Greece respects the religious beliefs and cultural characteristics of the Muslim minority in Thrace,” and furthermore, that it “treats all Greek citizens belonging to the minority equally.”

Look at how they respond and react to even a two-line congratulatory message without leaving any gaps, and then look at our situation!..

LETTING LAUSANNE AND THE CONSTITUTION BE TRAMPLED

If you ask, “What is our situation?”;

The subject is again the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople in Istanbul, a Turkish institution under the Fatih District Governorship according to Lausanne. The Patriarch at its head is also a citizen of the Republic of Turkey.

According to Lausanne, it should only deal with the religious affairs of our Greek citizens in Istanbul and the islands of Bozcaada and Gökçeada, yet it attaches all Orthodox churches in the world to itself and, as in the case of Ukraine, deals with political issues. In this context, it uses the title “Ecumenical,” contrary to Lausanne, and is treated like a “head of state.” The Republic of Turkey, meanwhile, just watches.

But there were those who did not just watch. Two years ago, both the Mavi Vatan Maritime and Global Strategies Association, founded by former Chief of Staff of the Naval Forces Command, retired Rear Admiral Cihat Yaycı, and Lawyer Tülay Bekar from Ankara filed criminal complaints with the Chief Public Prosecutor's Offices against Patriarch Bartholomew.

Unfortunately, no one even opened the covers of these criminal complaints.

Attorney Tülay Bekar recently filed a new criminal complaint, reminding authorities of the previous one. Pointing out that Patriarch Bartholomew persistently continues his claim of “Ecumenicity” despite the Supreme Court ruling and has now started calling Istanbul “Constantinople,” Attorney Bekar requested that a public lawsuit be filed for the crimes of “undermining the unity and territorial integrity of the Republic of Turkey.”

THEY EVEN PUT IT IN ENGLISH SO WE WOULD UNDERSTAND

How did the “Ecumenicity and Constantinople” developments continue?

We wrote about this before; in his 2024 Christmas statement, Patriarch Bartholomew used the title “Hellenic Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch” for the first time.

As you know, Christians are celebrating Easter these days.

Bartholomew published his Easter message on April 14, the very day of the founding anniversary of the Xanthi Turkish Union, which led to the reaction from Greece mentioned above.

And in that message, he again used the title “Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch.”

Perhaps so that we would understand; the Patriarchate's website included the English version of that message alongside the Greek one.

My request to not only the government but also the opposition is this:

Fine, we understood “Constantinople,” but what is the meaning of this “New Rome”; if there is anyone who knows and cares, could they please explain it to our nation?!

Müyesser YILDIZ

April 20, 2025