As Greece marked the Genocide of Pontic Greeks on May 19, Turkey rejected the allegations that an extermination took place, accusing Greece of “weaponizing history for political purposes.”
Greek President Konstantinos Tasoulas called for the recognition of the Pontic Greek Genocide by the international community. “We honor the memory of the victims of the Pontian Genocide—a crime against humanity committed under the Ottoman Empire that left an indelible mark on Hellenism and our historical consciousness,” adding that, “This day serves as a reminder of our duty to defend historical truth and to work tirelessly for the international recognition of the Genocide, as an act of justice and moral restoration.”
The Greek Parliament honored the day by lighting up the facade of its building on Monday evening. Projected on the facade of the Parliament was a logo with the initial ‘G’ of the Genocide.
No forgetting and no silence can cover the murder of 353,000 Greeks of Pontus during the years 1916 to 1923, the Parliament said in its statement, adding a phrase by the Panpontian Federation of Greece, “If we forget, we will perish.”
Turkey says “the alleged” Pontic Greek Genocide is based on “imaginary claims”
In a highly provocative tone, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs reacted to the commemorations in Greece for the Pontian Genocide. Ankara accused Athens of weaponizing historical events for political gain and attributed “atrocities” to the Greek army during the Asia Minor Campaign.
Specifically, the Turkish Foreign Ministry’s statement noted: “The Greek authorities must stop weaponizing history for political purposes. They should recall not only the massacres against Turks and other ethnic groups that began with the Tripoli Massacre in 1821, but also the atrocities committed against Turks and other groups in Western Anatolia following the landing in Smyrna on May 15, 1919.
“Instead of distorting historical facts and fueling past animosities, we call on Greece to adopt an attitude that contributes to the development of bilateral relations in a spirit of peace and cooperation.”
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