Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-04-25

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Mitsotakis opposes change to Church-State relations during visit to 'Apostoli'

[02] Mouzalas signs deal with UNHCR for refugees to move into homes in Crete

[01] Mitsotakis opposes change to Church-State relations during visit to 'Apostoli'

Referring to the upcoming revision of Greece's Constitution, Mitsotakis made it clear that ND sees no need to change articles governing Church-State relations and will not consent to any such changes.

"Religious tolerance and respect for other religions is fully protected. As a result, an essential abolition of article 3 of the Constitution or the preamble of the Constitution will not add anything of note," he said.

Archbishop Ieronymos, on the same issue, noted that "there are many things that must be looked at again, discussed again; let us put them back on the table and where necessary, with wisdom, understanding and without causing injury, let us take the steps that are needed." Addressing ND's president, he expressed hope that other parties and political leaders will adopt his way of thinking, while adding that "the Church forces no one to follow it."

The archbishop also talked about the taxation of the Church and the work that it does to help society's most vulnerable members, noting that this was the result of a collective effort involving volunteers and those that offered their financial support.

Mitsotakis praised the work done by the Church during the crisis years, saying it distributed thousands of meals each day in every corner of Greece to families in need. The Church of Greece served as "an ark of values, an inseparable part of our national identity and a foundation of humanitarian values in practice," Mitsotakis said, noting that the Church has alway been on the front line.

"It preserved and formed our traditions, marked our individual and collective memory, helped create the identity of modern Greece. And today it still maintains the ties of Greeks everywhere, with each other and with the national centre," he said.

ND has always seen the Church as a "national partner and social ally," Mitsotakis added, and for this reason it seeks to broaden the collaboration between Church and State, such as through the use of Church property or by providing generous tax incentives to those that choose to donate to charity.

"Apostoli" General Director Konstantinos Dimtsas welcomed the ND leader's visit as more than just symbolic, noting that the charity founded by Archbishop Ieronymos in 2010 aimed to help alleviate the repercussions of the extended economic and social crisis in Greece.

[02] Mouzalas signs deal with UNHCR for refugees to move into homes in Crete

The program to house asylum seekers in 125 apartments in Crete will cost 1,760,000 euros and will be funded by the European Commission.

"It is a program which, wherever it has been implemented, and we already have the experience of housing 20,000 people, has never caused trouble, quarrels, clashes, or anything else," he said in a joint press conference.

"On the contrary, it has offered the local community money which would otherwise go to camps and will now be spend inside the community with the apartments," he added.

Mouzalas also announced that as of May 1, catering services in camps will be terminated and asylum seekers will instead be given cash to buy food and cook their own meals.

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