“Great day for Greece, for democracy and for human rights”he described yesterday by the Minister of Education, Religions and Sports, Sofia Zacharakibecause, as he said, the Greek Parliament, with the widespread consensus of the parties, voted for the recognition of the religious community of the Bektashis Alevi Muslims of Thrace as a religious legal entity of private law.
Immediately after the vote in the House of Representatives, Mrs Zacharakis, along with the New Democracy MP and former Deputy Minister of Education, Angelo Syrigos, traveled yesterday afternoon to Alexandroupolis and from there to North Evros, The largest religious center of the Bektashies worldwide and the first in the Balkans, which has been operating constantly as a place of prayer and worship since 1353.
Sofia Zacharakis and Angelos Syrigos initially visited Roussa’s Tekke, where the tomb of Strdit Ali Sultan, who had settled in the area in the 14th century and many Bektashis Alevi Muslims, from Greece and abroad, visit him.
“Today we are not walking, we fly out of our joy”Residents of the area told Mrs Zacharakis, while her welcome was enthusiastic and Angelos Syrigos in Roussa Square, where the opening ceremony of the three -day festivities entitled “HILIA 2025” took place. The name comes from the “Thousand” hill in which there are oil struggles, that is, the wrestlers have grown their bodies with oil. These struggles take place every summer for seven centuries in the memory of St. Sultan Ali Sultan and are of great interest.
The gathers did not hide their joy, as the recognition of their religious community was a demand for years and warmly applauded Sofia Zacharakis and Angelos Syrigos when they went on the step.
“Friends and friends today is a great day for both Greece and democracy. It is a great day because we honor human rights and give a very important message: Greek and Greeks can separate them anything »Mrs Zacharakis said.
“I want to convey the wishes of the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, as well as all MPs, women and men, who voted as a Greek Parliament, beyond the parties, today’s recognition.”stressed and continued: “And what did the Greek Parliament recognize today? The Greek Parliament, the Greek Nation, recognized the Bektashis Alevis. Recognize your story, recognize your faith, recognize your culture. Recognize that you have a place in the light, with pride for what you are. And, let me repeat it, this was done by the Greek Parliament. It is the greatest honor for you what happened today, because it gave it not the decision of a minister but the Greek Parliament did it and together the heart of all Greeks.
When this effort started I don’t know how many of you thought that the day and time of justification would come. But this day has come and the dream came true and we are all here today to celebrate it here and now.
Greece shows us that we are united much more than we are separated. Greece is here for all of us and we as brothers are here for her. Greece unites us because we are all citizens. Democracy unites us because we all have the same rights and obligations. Freedom unites us, hopefully unites us. “
She stressed that she was particularly moving the moment she heard Ahmet and Aisé speak to Parliament because “Their words were words taken out of the heart of all of you. Their bump was the haunting of all of you. “
Sofia Zacharakis praised the contribution of Angelos Syrigos, as well as the Secretary General of Religions George Kalantzis, who were supporters of the request for recognition of the Bektasis Muslims of Thrace and helped to claim.
Taking the floor by Angelos Syrigos, who has visited Roussa and the wider area many times and as Undersecretary of Education, he said he felt “a little local” and addressed the concentrated:“Friends and friends we have the Treaty of Lausanne that protects your rights and those who are Bektashis Alevites still have a protection, the one that has been voted on today in the Greek Parliament.
Your children will be able to freely learn your faith in your schools, protect your own places, protect the tekes and your sacred monuments. This was done by the Greek state. Roussa’s Tekke constantly functions as a place of prayer, it is the only place that has never stopped working as a prayer. Remember that. “
Representatives of the locals offered commemorative gifts to Sifia Zacharakis and Angelos Syrigos.
The Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Christodoulos Topsidis, the Mayor of Soufli Panagiotis Kalakikos, the chairman of the Muslim Alevis Committee Thrace Kara Kara Houssin Ahmet, who spoke to the Greek Greek and the Greek Alekoumis Ahmet.
The “present” was given by eminent representatives of Bektashism and Alevis from European countries and Turkey.
The invitation for the three -day festivities “Chilia 2025” was addressed by Agas Kara Ahmet, the high priest of Teki Sigit Ali Sultan, Ismailoglu Memet, and the chairman of the Muslim Committee Alevites Thrace Karahis.
Sofia Zacharakis is the first Minister of Education to visit Roussa, toured the Tekke Tekit Ali Sultan and attended the opening ceremony. Nikos Dendias, Angelos Syrigos as Deputy Minister of Education, visited Roussa, as Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Deputy Minister of Interior (Macedonia and Thrace) Kostas Gioulekas was the first member of the Government to attend the 20th.
Source: Skai
I have worked in the news industry for over 10 years. I have been an author at News Bulletin 247 for the past 2 years. I mostly cover politics news. I am a highly experienced and respected journalist. I have won numerous awards for my work.
