Greek-Armenians Ask Thessaloniki Mayor to Consider their Opinion

Armenian youth movements in Thessaloniki will be organizing a protest against the decision to build a monument dedicated to the Young Turks in the Greek city, reports Novosti.ru.

Recall that Thessaloniki’s newly elected mayor Yiannis Boutaris had said in an interview that he intends to erect a monument dedicated to the movement headed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and that work to erect the monument will begin soon.

The mayor, known for his pro-Turkish stance, is being criticized by the Greek city’s Armenian population, since such a monument desecrates the memory of the victims of the 1915–21 Armenian Genocide by the Young Turks.

Greek-Armenians have sent numerous letter to Boutaris, asking him to take into consideration their opinion on the issue. Note that the Greek faction of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) has not yet issued a statement on the mayor’s decision.

Note that Atatürk was born in Thessaloniki, which until 1912 was part of the Ottoman Empire. The city had a large Jewish and Turkish population at the time but vestiges of their presence have all but disappeared since.

Boutaris will formally assume his duties Jan. 1 after his election this month.