CHRONOS of Komotini, Let the Holy Mountain’s prohibition be lifted

The well-known MEP of PASOK and president of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities speaks to “Chronos.” “You cannot distinguish between human beings and say that men are welcome while women are not,” she says and insists on her proposal.

The multicultural society of Thrace is of great interest to a member of the European Parliament.

We located her amid airports as she was returning to Greece in order to attend an event in Thessaloniki, immediately followed by her tour in Rodopi, where she will meet with women and organizations in Kékhro, Organi, the plains area, and in Komotini, before returning to Athens and then heading to Brussels on Monday, where she has a particularly busy schedule as president of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities, as well as an MEP with significant engagement in issues affecting modern societies, such as unemployment, new technologies, and more. Always active and with strong opinions on matters, fighting for women’s empowerment, and ready to open paths to innovative issues, Anna Karamanou is here to listen, observe, and propose. Her presence will dominate the weekend, and we already hear that her meetings with women will pave the way for initiatives that will take shape. We talked about her arrival in Komotini and also about the controversial issue she brought to the forefront: the abolition of the Mount Athos prohibition for women. Where the Virgin Mary is the protector and queen of Mount Athos.

Mrs. Karamanou, will you tell us about your visit to the mountainous area of Rodopi, the communities of Kékhro and Organi that will take place this weekend?

– I decided, along with my colleagues, to come to your area and get firsthand information about the problems of the region, especially the issues concerning women. As president of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities of the European Parliament, it is natural that I have a particular interest. The region of Thrace and Rodopi is very interesting, from every point of view. The society is multicultural, which is of great interest to a member of the European Parliament, and I would like to make direct contact with the people there, especially with the women, to inform them about European policies, particularly on gender equality. But I also want to learn and see what the concerns, priorities, and demands of the women are. I know that there is a problem with unemployment, particularly with women’s unemployment in the region, and there are issues with women’s education. Many women wish to learn the Greek language better, to have easier access to employment and the activities in the area. I hope it will be an interesting meeting. I am coming more to listen, to get fully informed about the problems. I don’t think that in two days I can get a thorough understanding.

It will surely be a two-way communication, both for us and for you. At the same time, however, you will also have meetings with elected women in local government in the city of Komotini.

– These women are the ones who know much better than I do what the priorities are, what the problems are, and what the opportunities in the area are. I believe that there are countless possibilities for social and economic development in the region, as well as for strengthening the role of women in local government and generally in the activities of the area.

Mrs. Karamanou, you were targeted by the media with the proposal you made regarding the prohibition on women and Mount Athos. This issue has calmed down somewhat, but I wanted us to briefly remember the statement you made, which I believe was misinterpreted.

– It was not misinterpreted. I still believe that the prohibition on women entering Mount Athos, even though it is a long-standing tradition, constitutes an extreme form of misogynistic discrimination based on gender. But traditions are not something unchangeable. When traditions clash with modern views, particularly with the respect for human rights for half of the population, these traditions should either be abandoned or revised. In this sense, I believe that after the full recognition of both genders and women’s rights, the prohibition of women on Mount Athos should be lifted. A dialogue should be opened, even with the monks themselves, who of course insist on their views, but I believe that it is an outdated decision that cannot stand. You cannot differentiate between human beings and say that men are welcome while women are not. The monks accept their fathers on Mount Athos, but they do not accept their mothers—the very women who gave birth to them. I find this unacceptable from every perspective, and there is already a resolution from the European Parliament on this matter.

What is the position of the European Parliament?

– The European Parliament also has the view that the prohibition on women entering Mount Athos should be lifted, and I believe that this issue will come up again in the European Parliament because an annual report on human rights is drafted each year, and the unresolved problems keep recurring. Of course, these reports of the European Parliament are not legally binding, but they still express the opinion of an institutional body of the EU that has credibility and reliability. I believe that we are not far from the point where this prohibition will be lifted, or where women will be given the opportunity to enter on certain days of the year, as the priests themselves have proposed. As you know, there are two priests who, on television, one said that at least on August 15th, Mount Athos should open its gates to women, and the other said that the fact that this prohibition has been in place for so many centuries does not mean it will continue to exist in the future.

It is a matter of traditions, religious beliefs, and principles that were established by imperial decrees and edicts (golden bull), as everyone knows.

– Certainly, but traditions should never be used as an excuse to limit women’s rights. Because if I wanted to use an extreme example, I would say that this excuse of tradition was also used by the Taliban, who deprived women for a long period of time of fundamental freedoms and human rights. In the name of traditions, millions of women are also subjected to sexual mutilation in Africa, even though this is not supported by religious texts. Just as it is not supported by Christian teachings to give special privileges to men while depriving women of the right to access cultural and religious heritage. And the fact that Mount Athos has so many churches, sacred relics, and treasures that are not accessible to women. This cannot stand in our time when women are becoming heads of state, prime ministers, and ministers. Therefore, the Church must keep up with modern developments and engage in continuous dialogue with society, something I do not see happening.

In other words, you do not accept that the woman is the bearer of sin, as is the other perspective that would upset the sanctity of the space.

– Of course not. Christ never said such a thing. Christ said, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, neither male nor female,” meaning there should be no distinctions based on gender, and Christ first appeared to women. This is another strong argument, which of course is often ridiculed, but for that time, what Christ said was very progressive and forward-thinking. Later, however, there were distortions and the subjugation of women because that was the social and economic climate of that era. But today, we are no longer in the time when the Athonite state was first established 1,000 years ago and these decisions were made. Today, we live in a different era that fully recognizes equal rights and responsibilities for men and women.

As the president of the Committee on Women’s Rights and Equal Opportunities of the European Parliament, with the enlargement, do you think you have more work to do?

– A lot, but I don’t complain because I really enjoy the work I do, it’s fascinating, I do it with joy and enthusiasm, but it is a demanding job. It’s a very demanding job. When you are the president of one of the 17 parliamentary committees of the European Parliament, your 24 hours are heavily burdened. I want some changes to be made, I want the position of women in Greece and throughout the committee and the world to improve. Because my committee also intervenes in matters outside the EU borders. We intervene in the Third World, in Nigeria with Hafiya Hussein and now with Amina Lawal. We intervene wherever we can to help women.

There is still a long way to go, of course, even here in Thrace, where women, at least half of the population, face problems due to their gender, which you will see up close.

– These are the issues I want to discuss, to see if the problems are more acute in that area, especially due to the religious traditions that exist in the region.

We will be happy to see you in person.

Μ.Μ.