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V A T R A
The Pan-AlbanianFederation of America
2437 SouthernBoulevard
Bronx, N.Y.10458-6501
Tel. (71 365-6930

VATRA REMINDS BISHOP ANASTASIOS YANNOULATOS THAT IT’S HIGHTIME FOR HIM TO
GET OUT OF ALBANIA


It has been more than ten years since Bishop Anastasios Yannoulatos usurped
the Seat of the Archbishop of the Albanian Autocephalous Orthodox Church
(AAOC). Although he entered Albania as a pro tempore envoy supposedly to
assess the situation and the needs of AAOC, Bishop Yannoulatos managed to
place himself at the Head of AAOC in a secretive manner, thus turning his
temporary position into a permanent one.

That action was in blatant violation of the statutes of AAOC and the canons
of the Orthodox Church. The Pan-Albanian Federation VATRA repeatedly
expressed its condemnation of the prolonged illegal stay of Bishop
Yannoulatos in Albania, and has demanded that he get out of the country
without any further delay. The AAOC statutes clearly state that its head
must be an indigenous Albanian Archbishop.

VATRA is also very concerned about extra-religious activities of Bishop
Yannoulatos, whose ultimate goal is the hellenization of Southern Albania -
the main target of Greek expansionism.

We would like to remind Bishop Yannoulatos that no one can use church and
religion to create a state within a state, no one can use extra-canonical
activities, including economical and social projects, to influence and
convert poverty-stricken people, to force them to change their names,
religion and ethnicity - to convert them from Albanians to Greeks. These
actions negatively affect the relations between the two neighboring nations
and seriously endanger peace and stability in the entire region.

Regarding Yannoulatos’ humanitarian credentials, let’s not forget that, at
the time of the Serb massacres in 1998-1999, he had no sympathy for the
Kosova Albanians. He publicly objected to the NATO intervention.

There are over 200,000 Cham refugees in Albania today. They were brutally
expelled from their own homes in Chameria and their properties confiscated
by the Greek government in 1944. Bishop Yannoulatos has never uttered a word
regarding their plight.

Bishop Anastasios Yannoulatos, it’s high time for you to get out of Albania!

New York,
February 17, 2001