The issue of the vote of the Greek Dispersion is very current and because I have been occupied my whole life (40 years) as a private aggregator with the Hellenism of the world (Melathron Ecumenical Hellenism www.gnl.gr), I would like to present to you the answers to many questions which, I am personally sensing, are so simple, that they could resolve once and for all, the relationship between Greece and the expatriated Hellenism, which also constitutes our national and cultural capital. A chapter that remains unexploited, and one that could help solve many of our country’s problems, on a financial, national and cultural level! After all, let’s not forget that modern Greece was built with the money of expatriated benefactors, during the 50s- 70s, its society relied on their cheques and donations, and every time there was a national matter, they would always answer to our call. The Greeks are a nation that never burns the bridges with their homeland.
1. They wonder, and nobody knows, how many the Greeks of Dispersion are. Not even the World Council of Hellenes Abroad (SΑΕ), which was the connecting link of the Expatriated Hellenism with Greece from 1995 until 2012. They are now wondering whether this recording can be conducted by the state constitutionally, whether the legislation on personal data is prohibitory etc. The recording of the Greek Dispersion is a very easy task and if the state cannot conduct it, it can authorize private initiatives, without any particular cost, to conduct it. Social media are now ideal for this recording! To begin with, we are touching their hearts and we are inviting them, whoever they are and feel Greek, to declare their wish to vote. Their descent will be confirmed by their identity or their passport and, if they don’t have any of these, by family documents (of their father-mother-grandfather-grandmother), where their Greek origin will be verified. This, of course, will entail some technical difficulties, but they will not be insuperable.
2. The representation of the Greek Dispersion must take place with representatives selected by the Hellenism per continent, that is America, Europe, Asia, Africa και Australia. From each municipality or district of those countries, one person will be elected and the representative of each continent in the Greek Parliament will be elected by all of them. So the members of the Parliament, that will represent the Global Hellenism, will be five. They will not join any political parties, because something like that would divide our Expatriates, and they will be independent deputies or they will compose the party of the Dispersed Hellenism. Each of them, will vote at will, expressing the interests and dynamics of each continent and will, of course, vote the proposals filed by any political party and serve our national interests.
Amid those thoughts, all the expatriates will take part in this process, without directly affecting the political situation in Greece, which means that they will not interfere with our civic life. Essentially, they do not decide for us. However, their diligence and their love and interest for our homeland are activated and they participate in the procedures without the need to travel, looking for passports in Embassies and Consulates, to see if they have travelled in Greece for two years in the last 35 years and when. This way all Greeks participate, old and new generations. The Greek Dispersion, is not interested in Greek political parties, because they only see Greece.
Our politicians in Greece, at least until today, were not seeing the Greek Dispersion. The reasons are many and self-explanatory, I think. That way, the feeling that dominates the Greek Dispersion is as follows: “Our politicians only come whenever they need us, they give us promises and once the plane’s door closes, they forget them.”
Most words and endless discussions are unnecessary. The laws, the Constitution and habits have to change and we must see the Ecumenical Greece and not just Greece. To see not only the 10 million that are here but also about the about 20 million that exist on this planet. Our politicians have nothing to lose, because essentially only five positions will be ceded from the Greeks in the Greek Parliament. Think, though, what benefits we can have from the Greek Dispersion that dominates the Global map.
Thank you very much!
THE PRESIDENT
OF MELATHRON ECUMENICAL HELLENISM
STAVROS PANOUSOPOULOS