Hellenic European Leadership Council
thehelc.bsky.social
Hellenic European Leadership Council
@thehelc.bsky.social
16 followers 11 following 320 posts
Official Bluesky account of #theHELC (thehelc.com) - the Hellenic European Leadership Council
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#Kolokotronis again: “Our #Revolution is unlike any of the others that are taking place in Europe. The European revolutions against the governments are civil wars. Our war is a just war between two nations, one of which has suppressed the other with violence.” 6/6
It was this unbroken historical continuity spanning more than 3,000 years that led the #Greeks to launch the first national revolution in #Europe, reconstitute their state, and set an example for #freedom fighters everywhere. 5/6
The British admiral could not have imagined that in 1822 this simple Greek guerrilla in front of him was still evoking Constantine XI #Palaiologos, the last #RomanEmperor who had fallen fighting at the gates of #Constantinople almost 400 years before. 4/6
Hamilton was baffled. Who was that king #Kolokotronis was talking about? #Greece had been under the #Ottoman yoke for centuries and most certainly didn’t have a state, let alone a king. 3/6
'We will never do so, now is the time for freedom or death. We, admiral, never negotiated with the #Turks. Many of us were killed, many enslaved, and a few lived free from one generation to the next. Our King was killed, he never negotiated, and his guard continued the war' 2/6
In the second year of the #GreekRevolution, British admiral Hamilton suggested to the de facto leader of the #Greeks, Theodore #Kolokotronis, that the time had come to negotiate with the #Ottomans, with Britain as the mediator. Kolokotronis responded: #theHELC #25March1821 🧵1/6
Israeli footballer #SagivJehezkel suspended and arrested in #Turkey after showing support for the Israeli #hostages. His crime according to authorities: "inciting public hatred and hostility". Turkey openly supports and nurtures #Hamas terror
Thin-skinned #RishiSunak is somehow happy to meet a leader that assassinates journalists and activists, bombards his neighbours, provides weapon components to #Russia, blocks #NATO’s enlargement, and finances and shelters #Hamas
'#Turkey’s deadly assault against #Kurdish positions in north-eastern #Syria has forced tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, the #UnitedNations said. “An estimated 100,000 people have already left their homes,” it said in a statement' https://t.co/jczjhmcdym
'Songs, dancing, then a bomb: How Turkey may have committed a war crime against a protest convoy in Syria. A dozen people were killed when forces attacked the Kurdish demonstrators' https://t.co/FdvdE1NdgR
The #UK government does not need to come to the rescue of an isolated #Turkey. Here are two prime examples of what Turkey does with #Western weapons: https://x.com/OsintExperts/status/1728202774838722686
#HagiaSophia sits at the top of a long list of #Christian and #Byzantine monuments that were left to decay, or were simply vandalised or destroyed by successive #Turkish governments and religious organisations. A point perhaps worth considering for #UNESCO decision makers 8/8
In October 2023, distinguished Turkish historian Ilber Ortayli said he feared that the large number of additional daily visitors to #HagiaSophia could even lead to catastrophic structural failure if not addressed immediately by restricting entry to the monument 7/8
Since the ticketed entrance was abolished, millions of #Muslim believers visiting #HagiaSophia are changing the building’s environment. Increased #humidity caused by intensified visitor traffic is affecting the stonework and fragile artworks, such as #mosaics 6/8
According to the Turkish newspaper #Cumhuriyet, a tour guide on the site said, “This historic building has faced tremendous damage. When #HagiaSophia was a museum, people visited it with great respect. It’s like a fairground now. 5/8
In June 2022, a number of the ancient #marble tiles on the floor of the #HagiaSophia were reportedly cracked by heavy machinery used to clean the building 4/8
In April 2022, the historical Imperial Gate of #HagiaSophia, dating back to the 6th century, was vandalised, presumably during prayer hours. The security manager of the site claimed he had “not noticed anything” 3/8
In July 2020, the Byzantine #mosaics of #HagiaSophia were covered with curtains to avoid offending praying #Muslim believers. The curtains are supported by metal supports, inserted into the structure of the building without prior consultation about potential damage 2/8
#Turkey's accession to the #UNESCO World #Heritage Committee seems like a joke in bad taste. Here's a reminder of just a few of the blows that #HagiaSophia, Turkey's most important UNESCO listed site, has suffered since its conversion into a #mosque in 2020 🧵1/8 https://t.co/npegph0GJy
Türkiye's crackdown on freedom of expression continues, affecting journalists, writers, and critical voices, undermining the informed choice of voters during the May 2023 election campaign, says the European Commission's 2023 report. #FreedomOfExpression #EUTurkiyeReport 5/5
The European Commission's report on Türkiye for 2023 points out a continued deterioration of human and fundamental rights, with the need for legislative alignment with ECHR and ECtHR case law. #HumanRightsConcerns #EUTurkiyeReport 4/5
Civil society in Türkiye faces increased pressure, with a shrinking space to operate, limiting freedoms of expression, association, and assembly, as reported by the European Commission. #CivilSocietyUnderPressure #EUTurkiyeReport 3/5