The patriarchate’s statement said: “There are similar idioms in all languages, and they are not evaluated in their narrow meanings but in their broad sense in that language. While answering questions in that regard, the patriarch obviously did not intend to imply any pressure from our government.”
The statement also said that there was a need to make a public announcement about the issue because the patriarch’s words were interpreted in a way that goes beyond their meaning.
Speaking in an interview held in May with CBS’ “60 Minutes” for a story broadcast on Sunday night, Patriarch Bartholomew said Turkey’s Greek Orthodox community feels they are treated as “second-class citizens” and he feels “crucified” living in Turkey.
“As a spiritual leader who is supposed to express the problems that the Christian Orthodox community and the Patriarchate have been facing for years, the patriarch has used his usual realistic and careful style to articulate these,” the statement also said.
Meanwhile, Turkey’s Chief Negotiator for the European Union Egemen Bağış said that the expression is used in English and Greek, adding: “We would not gain anything by saying that our Turkish brethren who live in the Western Thrace feel crucified. The important thing is to alleviate the problems in society. And as we know, there are not segments in the society without problems. Our Alevi brothers have problems. Workers have problems. Armenians have problems. Greeks have problems.
Women have problems. But we have the will to overcome these problems. Our Turkey is not the old Turkey. Turkey can face its problems. It is a country which tries to identify its problems and produce solutions.”
