Who can make Istanbul “Constantinople”?!

While the AKP wing was implying that Ekrem İmamoğlu was a “Pontian” during the 2019 Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality elections based on his Black Sea and Trabzon origins, Erdoğan himself said the following:

“This is Istanbul, or by another name, Islambol. This is not Constantinople, but there are those who want to see it that way. We have 22 days against those who want to see it that way.”

In the end, Ekrem İmamoğlu was elected. 5 years have passed. As far as we can see and know, Istanbul did not become “Constantinople.” But those who want to make Istanbul “Constantinople” have made incredible progress. And all under the wings of the government.

Whether the reason is that those propaganda efforts did not stick, or the effort not to upset the “foreign powers” that became “foreign friends” after the elections in May, is unknown; the AKP and its media did not cling to these discourses in the current election campaign.

IT IS NOT WITHIN THE MUNICIPALITY'S AUTHORITY

A pro-government writer touched on the subject by sharing a message from a reader, based on the alleged negotiations between the CHP and the DEM Party regarding the candidacy for the Adalar (Princes' Islands) Municipality.

In summary; it was claimed that the US and the EU are pressuring for the reopening of the Halki Seminary located in the Adalar region, that this comes up in all of Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew’s trips abroad, that the Republic of Turkey has put an end to the Patriarch’s “ecumenical” title and clearly drawn its borders, but that Patriarch Bartholomew has stepped outside the boundaries drawn for him and used the title of “ecumenical patriarch,” and that these issues lie beneath the DEM Party’s insistence on the Adalar.

Setting aside the fact that the municipality has neither the means nor the authority to fulfill other imperialist ambitions, especially the reopening of the Halki Seminary; fortunately, the CHP and DEM nominated separate candidates in the Adalar, so the dangers in question have been averted for now!..

Even if only for this occasion, it was important that a danger undermining us from within and below was voiced by government supporters. However, let us not pass without reminding of a few things.

During the AKP’s 22-year rule; in response to the impositions of foreign powers to reopen the Halki Seminary, demands were made sometimes for a mosque to be built in Athens, sometimes for an increase in the number of Turkish teachers at the Celal Bayar High School in Komotini, and sometimes for the recognition of elected muftis in Western Thrace.

When the then-Prime Minister of Greece, Tsipras, came to our country in February 2019 and visited the Halki Seminary, Deputy Foreign Minister Katrougalos said exactly this:

“If a decision is made regarding the opening of the school, it can only be made by President Erdoğan.”

Finally, before his visit to Athens last December, Erdoğan, after explaining why the Halki Seminary was closed, gave a new unconditional green light by saying, “It can only be possible for it to reopen as a result of comprehensive legislative changes.”

Let us flesh out what we have described so far with news that came from the Greek side in recent days.

After all, a spring breeze is blowing between the two countries; the Greek government has allowed the New Mosque in Thessaloniki to be opened for worship for the Eid al-Fitr prayer after a 6-year hiatus. They allowed it; but despite the Muslims' request that the religious officials leading the prayer be people respected by the local congregation, the Greek state will determine the imam!..

WHICH COUNTRY'S HEAD OF STATE OR MINISTER?

Before reporting the latest developments regarding the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, let us note that one of the pro-government media writers recently called Patriarch Bartholomew a “Fetullah sympathizer.”

He must not be aware that the Treaty of Lausanne is being blatantly violated and Bartholomew is even invited to the Presidential Palace with the title of “Ecumenical”!..

To get to the point; the third Antalya Diplomacy Forum was held between March 1-3. Approximately 4,700 people attended the meeting, including 19 heads of state and government from 148 countries, 2 heads of autonomous administrations, 1 speaker of parliament, 64 ministers, 20 foreign deputy ministers, and 57 international representatives. The prominent topic, naturally, was Gaza.

There was someone else invited to this forum by Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. That guest was Bartholomew, a citizen of the Republic of Turkey and the head of the Patriarchate under the Fatih District Governorship. After listening to the speeches of Erdoğan and Fidan and meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Orban, Turkish ministers, and some ambassadors, he returned to the “City.”

It is unknown for what purpose or representing which place Bartholomew was invited, but since the topic was predominantly Gaza and a message was intended to be sent to the world, shouldn't the Chief Rabbi of the Jews of Turkey, İsak Haleva, have been called before him?

Let us draw attention to some of Bartholomew’s activities after returning from Antalya to Istanbul.

He convened the “Holy Synod of Constantinople” with the title of “Ecumenical Patriarch”...

He received a delegation from Greek monasteries that will visit “Asia Minor and Pontus” for pilgrimage...

In the sermon he gave on the occasion of the beginning of the “Holy and Great Lent,” he used the title of “Archbishop of Constantinople-New Rome and Ecumenical Patriarch”...

WHICH COUNTRY'S AMBASSADOR?

After all this, he was invited to the iftar dinner given by Erdoğan for ambassadors at the AKP Headquarters on March 12.

As the name suggests; an iftar organized in honor of ambassadors. A program attended by the Vice President and members of the AKP Central Decision and Executive Board, in addition to them.

Don't even ask in what capacity or as the ambassador of where Bartholomew was invited there!..

It is so obvious that another message is being sent to the “foreign powers” who are the owners of the Patriarchate project!..

After that iftar, Bartholomew continued his activities in Istanbul with the title of “ecumenical patriarch.” For example, the very next day, in his reception of the World Council of Churches delegation within the scope of “inter-Christian and interreligious dialogue”; after criticizing Russia, speaking about the importance of the “Church of Constantinople” in Kiev-Moscow relations, and mentioning “the fall of Constantinople to the Ottomans in 1453,” he said, “There is no Third Rome. There are only the Presbyters and the New Rome-Constantinople.”

Three days ago, he spoke by phone with Nikos Christodoulides, the head of the Greek Cypriot administration, which Turkey does not recognize, who is set to visit the holy Mount Athos in Greece, and conveyed his blessings to him.

WHY IS BALAT BEING EVACUATED?

Let us complete this picture with a news report published in Birgün Newspaper 14 days ago.

According to the report signed by Kayhan Ayhan; an evacuation decision has been issued for some buildings adjacent to the Fener Greek Patriarchate in Fatih. In the letter sent to the citizens by the General Directorate of Foundations, it was reported that these buildings were transferred to the Fatih Municipality. The allegations of “handouts and plunder” came to the minds of the citizens who reacted to the decision.

The decision and its timing are quite suspicious, aren't they?

In short; apart from the oft-mentioned goals such as transferring resources to sects, communities, and foundations, continuing to award tenders to the government's businessmen, and the Kanal Istanbul project that would eliminate the Montreux Convention, could there be another reason for Erdoğan wanting Istanbul so much that never even crossed our minds?!..