Cyprus-Forum.com

[zan]

Vatopedi monastery tries to evict patisserie owner
By Paul Malaos
AN EMBATTLED, Cypriot-run monastery in Mount Athos is back in the headlines again, after ordering a Paphos patisserie owner to vacate his premises even though he has another two years on his lease.

The eviction comes hot on the heels of a property scandal in Greece, which tied the Vatopedi monastery to dubious real estate transactions with politicians. Earlier this month, the Greek Supreme Court seized several of the monastery’s assets and a Greek Cabinet minister resigned.

This week , the monastery’s Cypriot Abbot, Father Efrem, has ordered confectioner Giorgos Thrasivoulidi to vacate the premises of his business, which have come under the ownership of Vatopedi.

During his last visit to Cyprus in 2007 Efrem visited the owner of Morello patisserie in Paphos with his financial adviser, informing Thrasivoulidi he was being evicted, as the Monastery planned to build an office block where his business is located.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail yesterday, Thrasivoulidi said he objected to the eviction, pointing out that his lease contract did not expire until 2010, and threatened that legal action would be taken.

The building is located on one of central Paphos’ busiest streets and is estimated to be worth over half a million euros.

The property came under the ownership of Vatopedi when it was inherited by the original owner’s son, who is a monk at the monastery.

The monastery has acquired land through numerous donations and also takes over all property previously owned by monks; as ecclesiastical cannon law states that monks can not own liquid or fixed assets under their names.

“When I first began to rent the property,” said Thrasivoulidi, “it was just an empty building, which I built up into a successful business.”

He added that when he undertook the lease, the property did not belong to the monastery, to which he now pays a monthly rent amounting to €2,400.

“I tried to appeal to Efrem’s sensitive side,” said Thrasivoulidi, “I can’t just walk out of a ten-year business, I am putting my two children through university.”

“I pleaded with [Efrem] to let me stay until the end of the contract but he is adamant on evicting me, so we will have to settle the matter in court.”

Thrasivoulidi added that since 2007 he has been visited by Efrem’s financial adviser on two more occasions and that the case be in court soon.

The Vatopedi monastery, one of the Orthodox monasteries on the Mount Athos peninsula, a self-governed monastic state within the sovereignty of Greece, has been accused of illegally trading land of low value for state-owned real estate, culminating in estimated losses of €100 million for the Greek state. It is the only monastery there run by Cypriot monks.

The monastery, which, according to Greek paper Eleftherotypia, owns large amounts of land in several European countries and Asia Minor, had even proposed to create a “replica of the Mount Athos peninsula” in a suspect area of 8,800 acres that it had obtained from the state, but this plan had been rejected by local authorities.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

[zan]

AND THEN THE SCAPEGOAT:::



Monastery abbot comes under fire in damning letter
By Paul Malaos
THE GREEK parliament has received a hard-hitting letter condemning the conduct of Father Efrem, the abbot of Vatopedi Monastery.

The 13-page letter was signed by a group of monks addressing themselves as ‘the respected fathers of the Orthodox faith of Mount Athos’, referred to Efrem as a ‘charlatan clergyman’.

Alleged atrocities cited in the letter include claims that Efrem harassed Vatopedi monks, underhanded business partnerships and the extortion of public figures.

The letter berates Efrem, accusing him of abusing his position within the Monastery and criticises his alleged ‘unethical’ connections with high-ranking politicians.

The monks describe Efrem’s business undertakings as ‘illegal’, while they also accused him of using the monastery’s finances immorally and for his own profit.

They denounce Efrem’s social connections with politicians’ and wrote that he had gone as far as installing surveillance cameras in the monastery guest quarters.

They claimed he used the hidden cameras to record politicians’ visits, so that he could, as they said, ‘keep them in the palm of his hand’.

The letter also draws attention to Efrem’s brother, EVROKO deputy president Nikos Koutsou and allegations that Efrem used and continues to use Monastery finances to fund Koutsou’s political career.

Koutsou has declined giving a statement to the press yet, as he said he has not read the letter.

He has stated that he will be making a public announcement once he becomes familiar with the allegations.

In a line that sums up the monks’ opinion of Efrem, they wrote: “since 1990, when Efrem ‘unlawfully’ gained leadership of the monastery, he has successfully managed to estrange every Orthodox priest he has come in contact with.”

The letter concludes, challenging the Greek authorities to investigate all claims of corruption listed and for immediate action to be taken.

Copyright © Cyprus Mail 2008

[tessintrnc]

Amazing isn't it? So called Christians!!! And before anyone shouts - I know - the Catholic church can be just as bad!!!

[miltiades]

All religious institutions are corrupt . What I can not understand what on earth is Zan trying to prove here !!

[zan]

All religious institutions are corrupt . What I can not understand what on earth is Zan trying to prove here !!

Stick a beard on them and hang a star and crescent around their necks and you would have bombed the shit out of them by now...That is the point old man. You think you are so pure but here it is in black and white...The church and government working hand in hand.......I wonder what other tricks they have up their sleeve....The church being the strongest advocates of ENOSIS and such.....Get it now!!!! NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!!!!!

[Bananiot]

Nikos Koutsou, leader of extreme right wing party EVROKO and half brother to that Efraim geezer from vatopedi, went public today to denounce the monks who claimed that his party received favours from vatopedi.

This fascist of a man was glowing with national pride in 2004 when his friend and comrade Papadopoulos was making wild accusations that those who voted "yes" had been recieving money from the Americans. At the time, just like Papadopoulos, he did not bother to substantiate the terrible claim and he endorsed Papadopoulos's ridiculous call that those that took money should prove their innocence.

Now, because he is on the receiving end, this miserable fascist who supported the greek junta in 1967, cries like a baby because some monks are "throwing punches below the belt".

Times do change, do they not?

[miltiades]

All religious institutions are corrupt . What I can not understand what on earth is Zan trying to prove here !!

Stick a beard on them and hang a star and crescent around their necks and you would have bombed the shit out of them by now...That is the point old man. You think you are so pure but here it is in black and white...The church and government working hand in hand.......I wonder what other tricks they have up their sleeve....The church being the strongest advocates of ENOSIS and such.....Get it now!!!! NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!!!!!

Plonker , I do not support the Church , I do not believe in God , I suggest you carry on with your dream of ENOSIS !!
Ps. Do you want a contest between you and I , something like :who do you trust more Plonker or Miltiades

[bill cobbett]

All religious institutions are corrupt . What I can not understand what on earth is Zan trying to prove here !!

Stick a beard on them and hang a star and crescent around their necks and you would have bombed the shit out of them by now...That is the point old man. You think you are so pure but here it is in black and white...The church and government working hand in hand.......I wonder what other tricks they have up their sleeve....The church being the strongest advocates of ENOSIS and such.....Get it now!!!! NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!!!!!

Plonker , I do not support the Church , I do not believe in God , I suggest you carry on with your dream of ENOSIS !!
Ps. Do you want a contest between you and I , something like :who do you trust more Plonker or Miltiades

My money would be on the senior member from south of the River to win that poll.

[bill cobbett]

All religious institutions are corrupt . What I can not understand what on earth is Zan trying to prove here !!

Stick a beard on them and hang a star and crescent around their necks and you would have bombed the shit out of them by now...That is the point old man. You think you are so pure but here it is in black and white...The church and government working hand in hand.......I wonder what other tricks they have up their sleeve....The church being the strongest advocates of ENOSIS and such.....Get it now!!!! NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!!!!!

So let's get this mind boggling claim right. If the pattiserie in question was owned by a moslem sect, "we' would have blown the "shit" out of the moslems for trying to evict a shop-keeper?

[zan]

All religious institutions are corrupt . What I can not understand what on earth is Zan trying to prove here !!

Stick a beard on them and hang a star and crescent around their necks and you would have bombed the shit out of them by now...That is the point old man. You think you are so pure but here it is in black and white...The church and government working hand in hand.......I wonder what other tricks they have up their sleeve....The church being the strongest advocates of ENOSIS and such.....Get it now!!!! NOT TO BE TRUSTED!!!!!!!

Plonker , I do not support the Church , I do not believe in God , I suggest you carry on with your dream of ENOSIS !!
Ps. Do you want a contest between you and I , something like :who do you trust more Plonker or Miltiades

Who said anything about you supporting the church...Do you ver get anything any one says to you That red wine rots your brain you know..You had better leave your dentures in that glass next to your bed and soak your brain in water instead...