Katerina Sakellaropoulou from Samothraki: The defense of our national sovereignty is non-negotiable

“We honor the great sacrifices and long-term struggles of its residents Samothrace which, with the decisive contribution of the Greek fleet, led to the liberation of the island on October 19, 1912 from the Turkish yoke and its integration into the motherland. Their example and their love of freedom continue to guide and inspire us in the non-negotiable defense of our national sovereignty.” The above was stated by the President of the Republic, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, after the laying of a wreath to the Fallen Hero, who went to the island today for the celebrations of the 110th anniversary of his liberation.

The events were followed by the proclamation of Mrs. Sakellaropoulou as an Honorary Citizen of the island, a ceremony during which the President of the Republic praised the history and struggles of the Samothraces, while also expressing her emotion “for the special honor you have reserved for me to be in the future one of you, on an island full of beauty and living memory… It is with emotion that I too, a Thracian by mother, become a Samothracian, a citizen of an ancient and mysterious island, a place that preserves its sanctity in every corner of its fantastic nature …”, he characteristically noted.

Sketching the historical route of the island he spoke of a “beautiful and long-suffering island, which lived almost five centuries of slavery, which suffered, bled and was almost completely destroyed by the Turks, paying dearly for its participation in the Revolution of 1821, as today marked the time of redemption. Inhabited by Pelasgians and Thracians, since the 8th century BC. colonized by the Greeks of Samos, an international religious and commercial center during the Roman era, Byzantine and Orthodox, it will keep its Greekness intact during the Venetian rule and during the long period of Ottoman rule…”. Addressing the mayor of Samothraki, Nikos Galatoumos expressed her satisfaction with the work being carried out regarding the protection of the “spectacular nature” of the island by protecting it “from violent human intervention in a critical period for the environment, with climate change present and threatening, you take care of the restoration of the infrastructures that were destroyed by the severe weather events that hit the island and you take advantage of its natural advantages, such as the sulphurous thermal springs, with their great therapeutic value. With the realization of the preciousness of the natural capital that Samothraki has, such as forests, imposing mountain masses, waterfalls, lacy coasts, wetlands, which coexists with an equally invaluable cultural capital, made up of ancient monuments, historical and mythological places, traditional settlements , the island can achieve a sustainable development, in constant conversation with its past and history…”.

It is noted that the celebratory events were attended by, among others, the Deputy Minister of the Interior responsible for Macedonia-Thrace issues, Stavros Kalafatis, the Deputy Governor of Evros, Dimitris Petrovich, the Evros MPs of the N.D. Christos Dermentzopoulos, Tasos Dimoshakis and Stavros Keletsis, the SYRIZA Member of Parliament of the Prefecture, Natasa Gara.

In particular, Mrs. Sakellaropoulou said “I am especially happy to be in Samothraki, to celebrate the 110th anniversary of its liberation. In this beautiful and long-suffering island, which lived almost five centuries of slavery, which suffered, bled and was almost completely destroyed by the Turks, paying dearly for its participation in the Revolution of 1821, like today it was time for redemption. Inhabited by Pelasgians and Thracians, from the 8th century BC colonized by Greeks from Samos, an international religious and commercial center during the Roman era, Byzantine and Orthodox, it will keep its Greekness intact during the Venetian occupation and during the long period of Ottoman rule. One feels awe when reading in the chronicle of Anastasios Christomanos, who came to Samothrace after the devastating earthquake of 1893 at the head of an echelon to monitor the phenomenon and relieve the earthquake victims, that on this subservient island “the idioms of the language are genuinely Greek, corruptions are rare, the pronunciation is impeccable, many times Byzantine and ancient Greek words are inserted into the dialogues, while the Turkish language is non-existent”. And he is really moved by going through the pages of Ionos Dragoumis, who visited Samothrace in 1906 in his capacity as consul of Greece in Alexandroupoli and dedicated a book-hymn to her special physiognomy. “Samothraki has always remained self-governing and Greek,” he writes. “The foreign conquerors, where they thought that they had completely subdued the island and made it theirs forever, where they imagined that they had made the inhabitants according to their own secret desire, where their power and politics fell, they left the island and the Samothracians remained again, the Samothracian Acerians. And others came and defined the island, but the island did not change its form and just as its rocks were and remained granite, so its inhabitants remained Greek. No civilization replaced the Greek civilization in Samothraki. No one entered the soul of the islanders to water it and change it.”

It is with emotion that I too, a Thracian by mother, become a Samothracian, inhabitant of an ancient and mysterious island, a place that preserves its sanctity in every corner of its fantastic nature. Homer calls your island Zathei Samothraki, that is, sept and most holy. Cult home of the Kaveri, home of Victory rushing against the wind with strong wings ready to take her off again, the verdant, strange, imposing Samothrace exerts a great charm on the visitor, invites him to connect with an archaic, almost, purity. I am glad that you are protecting, Mr. Mayor, this rare landscape that still resounds with the whispers of the Naiads and Nereids, protecting it from violent human intervention. In a critical period for the environment, with climate change present and threatening, you take care of the restoration of the infrastructure destroyed by the severe weather events that hit the island and take advantage of its natural advantages, such as the sulphurous hot springs, with the great therapeutic their value.

With the realization of the preciousness of the natural capital that Samothraki has, such as forests, imposing mountains, waterfalls, lacy coasts, wetlands, which coexists with an equally invaluable cultural capital, consisting of ancient monuments, historical and mythological sites, traditional settlements, the island can achieve a sustainable development, in constant conversation with its past and history. I sincerely wish you success in your project and thank you for the special honor that you have reserved for me to be one of you from now on, on an island full of beauty and living memory”.

RES-EMP

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