A written announcement denouncing any involvement with members of the criminal organization in Chania, was issued by Archimandrite P. Melchizedek Ambelikakis, whose name was involved in the circuit member with Panos Kammenos.

Specifically, in terms of the call of one of the two arrested brothers active in Tourism in Akrotiri Chania and had a significant role in the illegal organization, he appears to have asked the party leader, his assistance so that Archimandrite was elected to the Metropolitan Throne. This is what Father Melchizedek himself categorically rejects, saying that while knowing and chatting with the defendant: “I never believe that I have ever believed that he has the potential to promote me by unfair means, and I did not receive any politics or other politics on his part.”

At the same time, Fr. Melchizedek responds to what is being charged and mentioned by the telephone conversations recorded in the case file for “distribution to sacred relics”, he says he could never do and did not. Finally, in his announcement he calls on “the flock not to scandalize and pray to the Panagantos God to illuminate our account so that we can see the truth (…) in the end”.

The full statement of Father Melchizedek Ambelikakis:

“On the occasion of what they recently see in the light of publicity, I feel the need to express my humble opinion too in order to help the truth prevail and not to shake the faith of the flock not on my face, but to the institution of our Church and the Ecumenical Patriarchate. As part of the police investigation conducted in our area and not only, a large criminal organization was abducted, in which, according to what has been revealed, there were uniforms, priests, businessmen and politicians of our local community. That is, people from every group that exist in our small society. I have seen in recent days, there is fragmented and coherent dialogues that are primarily concerned with third parties and are trying to get me involved in a way. That is to say, among all these arrested people, there was one with which I had some communication, as I have with so many thousands of people with whom I chat with telephone, online and before I am. So this person, like anyone else with whom I come into contact with, has a past, a present and a future that I cannot know, as does none of us. This person was unfortunately entangled in police investigation and in this way our communication was known to third parties, in the wrong way and giving the opportunity to misinterpret. I mean about the above: I never delivered to any sacred relics as a “return”. My respect for the sacred relics is absolute, and I could not handle them outside the predicted ecclesiastical order, let alone with the purpose of rewards or benefits. My contact with this particular man is limited to the functional life of our Church. He is a member of the flock, which I always face without distinction. I do not know, nor could I know if he had any illegal activity. I never believe that I have ever believed that it was able to promote me by unfair means, nor did I receive any policy or other mediation for my election. I do not know, or I knew what his intentions were, nor was there any way to succumb to pressures that are opposed to my shape and my position in our Church. My respect for ATHD is absolutely absolute and in no way would I want to be affected by his face and the institution he represents through me. Because I was claimed to bring the title of Archimandrite of the Ecumenical Throne, dark circles who have always opposed our patriarch, have found the opportunity once again to cause problems in the unity of the church used miserable and awful methods. I would like to point out that in the thousands of pages in this massive case file, my own name (which I peace is used by third parties) has come to public and in such a way that it shows that I am exposed by lightly my heart or the ultimate plan. An attempt is being made to spill the name, for what purposes of this approach? To conclude, I must say that our Christ, even on the Holy Cross that his warriors placed him, asked his father to forgive them. As a clergyman I could not deviate from his example, so even if I am wronged, even if I feel that I am unfounded, I ask our father only to forgive them and give me the strength to deal with this situation in the way that our religion. I beg the flock not to scandalize and pray to the Panagantos God to illuminate our account, so that we can see in the end the truth, the truth we all know, but some have chosen to hide for their own reasons. Melchidedek Ampelikakis ».