You must be <a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgreekcitytimes.com%2F2025%2F04%2F13%2Fearthquake-shakes-mytilene-greeceby-marios-athanasiou4-5-minute-read%2F">logged in</a> to post a comment
<a href="https://neoskosmos.com/en/features/">Features</a>
Tracing a family&#8217;s survival through Greece&#8217;s turbulent alliances and the tragic consequences of trusting Western powers
In 1917 my grandfather as a child escaped the Turkish massacres of Greeks in Ayvalık
and my mother during the Greek Civil War 1945-1949
My uncle Mixalis&#8217;s eyes would well in tears when he recounted the bloody fratricide
Greece has been entangled in wars for centuries
whether it is the wars I mentioned above or wars including the Korean War during the 1950&#8217;s as the price of being Allied with Western interests
Korea was quid pro quo for NATO membership and military guarantees
The high cost of loyalty: Greece&#8217;s wars for the Allies
Greece has been in many unnecessary wars as the price of being &#8220;Allies,&#8221; and on one tragic occasion
our involvement as a Western partner in war resulted in helping the Turkish Nationalists gain significant advantage against Greece during the Asia Minor campaign of 1920-1922
During that period Greece&#8217;s territory stretched from Thrace to the Black Sea
Greece under Prime Minister Venizelos stirred the hornet&#8217;s nest by starting war against the Ottomans/Turkish Nationalists
The war likely would have concluded successfully for the Hellenes
Eleftherios Venizelos lost power to the royalists
leading to significant shifts in Greece&#8217;s political landscape and international alliances
as well as Lloyd George in Britain to a lesser extent
abandoned their support for Greece as the royalist forces advanced further into the interior
the Russian Bolsheviks were actively supporting the nationalist movement in Turkey under Mustafa Kemal Ataturk by providing training
This support bolstered Turkey&#8217;s position against Greece
which had already been strained by its engagement in an ultimately unnecessary war against the Bolsheviks in Ukraine in 1918–19—a decision that further weakened Greece&#8217;s resources and strategic footing in the region
sought to implement an ideology developed by a Karl Marx
Over the next century including the invasion of Ukraine
Russians under the umbrella of &#8220;communism&#8221; killed over 20 million people
it is worth understanding that the Bolsheviks were ruthless
They did not take kindly when General Konstantinos Nider led Greeks
against the Bolsheviks a few months after WWI
Australia also contributed 150 troops during this campaign while Greece supplied 23,000
Greece had already contributed to WWI and now had to administer an expanded state
They should have sent soldiers to Pontus to protect the Greeks
The Russians had not harmed Greeks since an invasion of Byzantium a millennium earlier
In the Caucasus and under Russian leadership
Greeks who lived in the Russian Empire had their own battalion to protect Greeks from Turks
For centuries Greeks served as officers/soldiers for the Russians and sometimes in high level bureaucratic positions
Catherine the Great had ensured Greeks set up their own city
since ruthlessly destroyed along with many Greek towns by Putin
it was ironic that Greece was now fighting Bolshevik Russians; they went from being enemies of Turks to new besties
This quid pro quo between the &#8220;Allies&#8221; and Greece was disastrous
The combined intervention in Ukraine was unsuccessful and when the Greeks retreated
dozens of Greeks in Crimea were slaughtered
as the Allies began to abandon the Greeks in Asia Minor
Konstantinos Nider was also one of the generals involved in the Asia Minor campaign
The legacy of abandonment: Lessons from betrayal
Instead of holding in front of the Greek city of Smyrna
they disgracefully abandoned the city on the cowardly orders of the Greek government
The massacres and ethnic cleansing of Greeks
Levantines and Jews in this era should never ever be forgotten
Only an American called Asa K Jennings helped protect Smyrna by September 1922
helping to end 6000 years of Greek history in Asia Minor by the 1923 population exchange
It is important to remember that the Bolsheviks gave the Turkish Nationalists the tools to defeat Greeks
A payback for the Greeks who were forced to fight a silly war in Crimea/Ukraine
when our troops should have been in Asia Minor
Whatever quid pro quo was arranged by the West and Greece
My grandfather and many family members lost everything along with millions of other
we supported them time and again but when the time came
we were abandoned to an enemy that was supported by vengeful vodka drinking Bolsheviks
The world did not learn from these tragedies as we now witness unspeakable tragedies in the Middle East
We need a stronger UN and people and leaders who never again want to see genocide
we need to take Western motives and hot air with a pinch of salt
Billy Cotsis is the author of 1453: Constantinople and the Immortal Rulers &#8211; Smyrna mini documentary: 
You don't have permission to access the page you requested
What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed
Moments after touchdown, an engine fire warning triggered an immediate response from the pilot, who alerted the <a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/28/title-uk-greek-consortium-wins-540m-project-to-expand-athens-international-airport/">airport</a> and initiated an emergency <a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/2025/03/26/agios-dimitrios-bomb/">evacuation</a> of the aircraft
The event has raised questions about air travel safety amid challenging weather
but AEGEAN’s swift response ensured all aboard emerged unharmed from the ordeal at “Odysseas Elytis” Airport
You must be <a href="https://greekcitytimes.com/wp-login.php?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fgreekcitytimes.com%2F2025%2F04%2F01%2Faegean-evacuated-mytilene%2F">logged in</a> to post a comment
A young female migrant was found dead early Sunday morning aboard a boat that had crossed from Turkey to Agios Fokas in southern Lesvos
Authorities also located 18 other migrants on the boat and transferred them to the Reception and Identification Center in Kara Tepe
The woman’s body was taken to Mytilene Hospital for a forensic examination
Enter your information below to receive our weekly newsletters with the latest insights
opinion pieces and current events straight to your inbox
Pope Francis came to the island of Lesbos to see for himself the plight of migrants here
he was greeted by thousands of migrants at the Mytilene camp on this island
telling them “I am here to see your faces and look into your eyes.”
“those who are afraid of you have not looked you in the eye… &nbsp;They have forgotten that migration is not an issue for the Middle East and Northern Africa
<a href="https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/speeches/2021/december/documents/20211205-grecia-rifugiati.html" rel="external">Pope Francis underlined that migration is a “humanitarian crisis that concerns everyone.”</a> He noted that while strides are being made to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and climate change
“all this seems to be terribly absent when it comes to migration.”&nbsp;
“It is an illusion to think it is enough to keep ourselves safe
to defend ourselves from those in greater need who knock at our door”
we will have more and more contact with others.&nbsp; To turn it to the good
what is needed are not unilateral actions but wide-ranging policies.”&nbsp; History
the cynical disregard that nonchalantly condemns to death those on the fringes.”&nbsp;
Pope Francis highlighted that since his visit five years ago
little has changed with regard to the issue of migration
he praised those who have committed themselves to the work of welcoming and integrating migrants.&nbsp;
and that in Europe there are those who persist in treating the problem as a matter that does not concern them.”&nbsp;
“It is distressing to hear of proposals that common funds be used to build walls as a solution,” he said.&nbsp;
“Yet problems are not resolved and coexistence improved by building walls higher
but by joining forces to care for others.”
“Rather than bickering over ideas,” said the Pope
&nbsp;it would be better to “broaden our gaze to take in the problems of the majority of humanity
of all those peoples who are victims of humanitarian emergencies they did not create
yet have to endure as the latest chapter in a long history of exploitation.”
&nbsp;“It is easy to stir up public opinion by instilling fear of others,” noted Pope Francis,&nbsp; yet why do we fail to speak with equal vehemence about the exploitation of the poor
about seldom-mentioned but often well-financed wars… about covert deals to traffic in arms
favouring the proliferation of the arms trade?&nbsp;
He stressed that the remote causes should be attacked
“not the poor people who pay the consequences and are even used for political propaganda.”
he added “more is needed than merely patching up emergency situations.&nbsp; Coordinated actions are needed.”
“Let us not let our sea (mare nostrum) be transformed into a desolate sea of death (mare mortuum),” the Pope concluded.&nbsp; “Let us not allow this place of encounter to become a theatre of conflict.&nbsp; Let us not permit this “sea of memories” to be transformed into a “sea of forgetfulness”.&nbsp; Please
let us stop this shipwreck of civilization.&nbsp;
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter.<a href="/en/newsletter-registration.html" alt="newsletter-link" title="newsletter-link"> Just click here</a>
and Samos recorded an explosive increase in the number of arrivals from Turkey in 2024
It is noted that Turkey is now one of the most important markets for these islands
as it was facilitated by the implementation of the pilot program for issuing visas at the gate with the right to stay for holders up to seven days
The program concerns the ports of Mytilene Lesvos
The North Aegean Region has collected data that reflects the tourist image of the islands in 2024
There is also updated information on the overall picture of Turkish visitor arrivals in 2024
the number of Turkish visitor arrivals in 2024 amounted to 94,165
three from Kusadasi and one from Sigacik to Vathi
the Kusadasi-Vathi connection continued with two ships daily and three to four ships at the weekend
The entry gate in Karlovasi began operating at the end of August and continued until mid-September with three approaches per week from Sigacik port
the number of arrivals of Turkish visitors in 2024 amounted to 120,141 travelers
six to eight approaches were made per day to Mytilene
while from October the approaches from Ayvalik were up to three per day
the number of Turkish visitors arriving in 2024 amounted to 125,679
The Chios-Cesme connection is carried out with four different companies
which continue the routes during the winter
but with a lower frequency of two to four times a week
while during the summer months and mainly in July and August
It is worth noting that visitor arrivals via customs from Turkey
a very important market for the three largest islands of the North Aegean
had been abruptly interrupted since March 2020
routes were restarted to Chios and from April 2022 to Samos and Lesvos
In addition to the important market of Turkey
direct arrivals from traditional but also newer markets abroad are of interest
According to data from the North Aegean Region
Lesvos maintained the markets of the previous year
with 2024 arrivals recording a significant increase of 44.08% compared to the total charter arrivals of 2023 and for the first time exceeding the level of 2014 arrivals
and continued its upward trend with an increase of 33.29% up to September compared to the same period in 2023
with the Netherlands being by far the first market in arrivals on the island
The season began on April 18 in the Netherlands and ended on November 2 with the same market
Total arrivals in 2024 show an increase of 4.96% compared to the total annual charter arrivals in 2023
Chios has not yet managed to restart with the European markets
after the refugee crisis and the coronavirus crisis
It started timidly last year with one flight every ten days from the Czech Republic
Interest is being expressed from other European markets
but tour operators are awaiting the completion of the runway extension
which will allow for uninterrupted service of aircraft
the fact that Chios also falls short in terms of the number of beds should not be overlooked
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51634-nafplio-at-the-epicenter-of-world-yachting-with-the-10th-mediterranean-yacht-show.html">Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51631-samaria-gorge-%E2%80%9Cwar-zone%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%9Cothers-decide-we-pay-the-price%E2%80%9D.html">Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price”</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51635-argosaronic-islands-need-for-a-long-term-strategy-and-modern-infrastructure.html">Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51636-fedhatta-tourism-bridges-between-greece-and-the-chinese-province-of-guizhou.html">FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51633-top-distinctions-for-greece-and-santorini-at-the-american-leisure-lifestyle-awards-2025.html">Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51637-hotrec-supporting-smes-in-european-hospitality.html">HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51640-tourism-promoting-crete-in-the-arabian-gulf.html">Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51639-aegean-and-emirates-expand-their-partnership.html">Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51638-delta-athens-is-in-5th-place-in-american-searches-for-2025.html">Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025</a>
<a href="transport/51641-promotion-of-preveza-on-the-metro-and-tram-in-athens.html">Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51632-tripadvisor-awards-2025-elafonisi-beach-world-s-best-beach-9th-in-crete-sani-beach-award.html">TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World&#039;s Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51643-12th-bajagreece-motorsports-competition-in-western-macedonia.html">12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51642-crete-also-invests-in-cycling-tourism-13th-pediadas-tour.html">Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51644-competitions-with-a-summer-and-autumn-backdrop-attica-runs-at-the-pace-of-sports.html">Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51628-atm-25-tourism-the-fight-against-food-waste-at-the-forefront-of-sustainable-development.html">ATM&#039;25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51629-easyjet-holidays-fam-trips-to-santorini-skiathos-and-rhodes.html">easyJet holidays | Fam trips to Santorini, Skiathos and Rhodes</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51630-chania-the-next-actions-of-the-%E2%80%9Ctourism-partnership%E2%80%9D.html">Chania: The next actions of the “Tourism Partnership”</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51626-navarino-challenge-returns-on-may-9-11-2025.html">Navarino Challenge returns on May 9-11, 2025</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51645-cruise-takeoff-in-chania-%E2%80%93-record-arrivals-in-the-first-quarter-of-2025.html">Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51627-three-greek-beaches-among-the-world%E2%80%99s-50-best-%E2%80%93-triumph-for-the-ionian.html">Three Greek beaches among the world’s 50 best – Triumph for the Ionian</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51617-the-%E2%80%9Ctyphoon%E2%80%9D-that-saves-the-greek-coasts-from-garbage.html">The “Typhoon” that saves the Greek coasts from garbage</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51616-eot-at-the-%E2%80%9Carabian-travel-market%E2%80%9D-%7C-interest-from-gulf-countries-india-and-australia.html">EOT at the “Arabian Travel Market” | Interest from Gulf countries, India, and Australia</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51613-cert-to-manage-vasilitsa-ski-resort-%E2%80%93-investment-of-over-20-million-euros.html">CERT to manage Vasilitsa Ski Resort – Investment of over 20 million euros</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51611-is-american-tourism-in-europe-%E2%80%9Cslowing-down%E2%80%9D-what-do-professionals-see-for-2025-and-2026.html">Is American tourism in Europe “slowing down”? What do professionals see for 2025 and 2026</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51625-this-is-athens-partners-the-7-partners-renew-their-collaboration-the-joint-actions.html">This is Athens &amp; Partners | The 7 partners renew their collaboration - the joint actions</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51614-fedhatta-dynamic-presence-of-greek-travel-agencies-at-the-international-dubai-exhibition-atm-2025.html">FedHATTA: Dynamic presence of Greek travel agencies at the international Dubai exhibition ATM 2025</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51615-ryanair-announces-new-offer-for-prime-members-on-june-flights.html">Ryanair announces new offer for Prime members on June flights</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/tour-operators-travel-agents/51619-thomas-ellerbeck-%7C-%E2%80%9Crhodes-can-become-a-model-of-sustainable-tourism-internationally%E2%80%9D.html">Thomas Ellerbeck | “Rhodes can become a model of sustainable tourism internationally”</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51618-the-times-the-perfect-time-to-experience-the-authentic-side-of-santorini.html">The Times | The perfect time to experience the authentic side of Santorini</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51621-chania-the-alternative-tourism-festival-returns-to-the-venetian-port.html">Chania: The Alternative Tourism Festival returns to the Venetian Port</a>
<a href="tornos/trends/51620-angela-gerekou-tourism-is-a-force-for-good-and-greece-can-play-a-leading-role.html">Angela Gerekou: &quot;Tourism is a force for good and Greece can play a leading role&quot;</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51623-new-flights-to-greece-in-2025-from-4-airlines.html">New flights to Greece in 2025 from 4 airlines</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51622-crete-welcomes-reveil-12-%E2%80%93-festival-of-sounds-and-ecology.html">Crete welcomes Reveil 12 – Festival of Sounds and Ecology</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51612-greek-tourism-3rd-quarter-97-of-arrivals-in-athens-and-thessaloniki.html">Greek tourism - 3rd quarter | 97% of arrivals in Athens and Thessaloniki</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51624-modernization-aid-for-the-marinas-of-symi-and-messolonghi.html">Modernization aid for the marinas of Symi and Messolonghi</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51598-hotrec-assembly-focus-on-challenges-and-reforms-in-european-tourism.html">HOTREC Assembly: Focus on challenges and reforms in European tourism</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51599-aegean-2025-passenger-growth-and-fleet-expansion-with-an-eye-on-the-international-market.html">AEGEAN 2025: Passenger growth and fleet expansion with an eye on the international market</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51600-fedhatta-cooperation-with-shaanxi-province-china.html">FedHATTA Cooperation with Shaanxi Province, China</a>
<a href="tornos/people/51602-greek-academic-in-finalists-of-european-sustainable-energy-awards-2025.html">Greek academic in finalists of European Sustainable Energy Awards 2025</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51601-thessaloniki-museums-join-forces-to-promote-the-city.html">Thessaloniki museums join forces to promote the city</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51603-gnto-introduces-%E2%80%9Csustainable-greece%E2%80%9D-to-british-agents.html">GNTO introduces “Sustainable Greece” to British Agents</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51607-strategic-meeting-for-cruises-in-santorini.html">Strategic meeting for cruises in Santorini</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51606-a-message-of-friendship-and-cooperation-at-the-friendly-greek-turkish-football-match-in-chios.html">A message of friendship and cooperation at the friendly Greek-Turkish football match in Chios</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51605-municipality-of-xiromero-diving-tourism-request-for-sinking-of-a-decommissioned-warship.html">Municipality of Xiromero | Diving tourism: Request for sinking of a decommissioned warship</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51604-the-first-la-quinta-by-wyndham-in-batumi-georgia.html">The first La Quinta by Wyndham in Batumi, Georgia</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51593-double-racing-event-in-megalopolis-on-may-11-festival-enduro-and-theater-run-2025.html">Double racing event in Megalopolis on May 11: Festival Enduro and Theater Run 2025</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51608-explora-journeys-start-of-the-summer-season-with-the-luxurious-explora-i-from-piraeus.html">Explora Journeys: Start of the summer season with the luxurious EXPLORA I from Piraeus</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51610-strong-start-in-2025-for-aegean-and-sky-express.html">Strong start in 2025 for Aegean and SKY Express</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51609-xanthi-tastes-a-gastronomy-festival-with-a-cultural-flavor.html">Xanthi Tastes: A Gastronomy Festival with a Cultural Flavor</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51597-rhodes-these-are-the-five-star-hotels-with-the-highest-revenue-%E2%80%93-which-ones-%E2%80%9Cfill-up%E2%80%9D-first.html">Rhodes: These are the five-star hotels with the highest revenue – Which ones “fill up” first</a>
<a href="greek-news/economy/51596-greek-tourism-webhotelier-the-winners-and-losers-in-online-bookings-for-2025.html">Greek Tourism/Webhotelier: The Winners and Losers in Online Bookings for 2025</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51590-gnto-promotion-of-santorini-in-target-markets.html">GNTO | Promotion of Santorini in target markets</a>
<a href="world-news/51586-unprecedented-blackout-in-spain-portugal-france.html">Unprecedented blackout in Spain, Portugal, France</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51588-greece-can-play-a-leading-role-in-the-global-sports-tourism-scene.html">Greece can play a leading role in the global sports tourism scene</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51587-rhodes-event-for-the-protection-of-biodiversity.html">Rhodes | Event for the protection of biodiversity</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/real-estate/51589-attica-the-%E2%80%A6caribbean-of-the-germans.html">Attica, the …Caribbean of the Germans</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51591-agios-nikolaos-cruise-season-kicks-off-with-arrival-of-luxury-silver-spirit.html">Agios Nikolaos | Cruise season kicks off with arrival of luxury Silver Spirit</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51592-operational-plan-%E2%80%9Ccretan-food-culture-2026-2030%E2%80%9D.html">Operational Plan: “Cretan Food Culture 2026-2030”</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51594-destination-management-and-promotion-organization-in-thessaloniki.html">Destination Management and Promotion Organization in Thessaloniki</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51595-kefalonia-the-authentic-character-of-the-island-through-the-%E2%80%9Ctravel-reimagined%E2%80%9D-project.html">Kefalonia: The authentic character of the island through the “Travel Reimagined” project</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51585-hoteliers-vs-booking-com-the-european-uprising-has-begun.html">Hoteliers vs. Booking.com: The European uprising has begun</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51581-tourism-greece-4th-choice-for-europeans-holidays-in-2025-what-the-etc-survey-shows.html">Tourism | Greece 4th choice for Europeans&#039; holidays in 2025 - what the ETC survey shows</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51582-new-high-standard-heated-swimming-pool-in-chania-aimed-at-sports-tourism.html">New high-standard heated swimming pool in Chania, aimed at sports tourism</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51584-greeks-traveled-a-lot-in-2024-%E2%80%93-where-they-went-how-much-they-spent.html">Greeks Traveled (A Lot!) in 2024 – Where They Went, How Much They Spent</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51583-greek-american-dean-spanos-brings-the-nfl-to-greece-%E2%80%93-opportunities-for-promotion-in-the-usa.html">Greek-American Dean Spanos brings the NFL to Greece – Opportunities for promotion in the USA</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51569-lesvos-the-season-begins-with-birdwatching-tourists.html">Lesvos: The season begins with birdwatching tourists</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51579-msc-cruises-strengthens-its-presence-in-greece-with-6-cruise-ships.html">MSC Cruises: Strengthens its presence in Greece with 6 cruise ships</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51571-new-luxury-arrival-in-crete-jw-marriott-crete-resort-spa-opens-on-june-2.html">New Luxury Arrival in Crete | JW Marriott Crete Resort &amp; Spa Opens on June 2</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51572-peloponnese-trails-inaugurated-today-new-network-of-trails-for-sustainable-tourism.html">&quot;Peloponnese Trails&quot; inaugurated today: New network of trails for sustainable tourism</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51580-knossos-125-years-since-the-excavations-of-arthur-evans.html">Knossos: 125 years since the excavations of Arthur Evans</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51570-the-spanish-tv-show-%E2%80%9Cviajeros-cuatro%E2%80%9D-in-corfu.html">The Spanish TV show “Viajeros Cuatro” in Corfu</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51574-wyndham-soliteight-40-super-8-hotels-in-spain-and-portugal.html">Wyndham - Soliteight | 40 Super 8 hotels in Spain and Portugal</a>
<a href="greek-news/51573-airbnb-final-price-now-displayed-in-accommodation-searches.html">Airbnb: Final price now displayed in accommodation searches</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/new-investments/51568-investments-in-the-beaches-of-the-attica-riviera.html">Investments in the beaches of the Attica Riviera</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51575-the-municipality-of-chania-at-the-%E2%80%9Cfrom-crete-to-side%E2%80%9D-festival-in-turkey.html">The Municipality of Chania at the “From Crete to Side” Festival in Turkey</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51578-region-of-central-macedonia-tourism-promotion-activities-in-poland-and-the-middle-east.html">Region of Central Macedonia: Tourism Promotion Activities in Poland and the Middle East</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51577-region-of-crete-connecting-minoan-palatial-centers-with-archaeological-sites.html">Region of Crete | Connecting Minoan Palatial Centers with Archaeological Sites</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51576-biodiversity-protection-plan-is-in-full-swing-in-elafonisi.html">Biodiversity protection plan is in full swing in Elafonisi</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51561-record-participation-in-the-athena-international-olive-oil-competition-chania-8-10-may.html">Record participation in the ATHENA International Olive Oil Competition | Chania 8 - 10 May</a>
<a href="tornos/people/51562-communities-at-the-heart-of-tourism-development.html">Communities at the heart of tourism development</a>
<a href="greek-news/51560-booking-com-no-to-limiting-tourists-yes-to-infrastructure-investments.html">Booking.com | No to limiting tourists, yes to infrastructure investments</a>
<a href="tornos/city-breaks/51563-thessaloniki%E2%80%99s-dynamic-presence-at-the-world-tourism-summit-in-hong-kong.html">Thessaloniki’s dynamic presence at the World Tourism Summit in Hong Kong</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51565-easyjet-summer-2026-sales-open.html">easyJet | Summer 2026 sales open</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51564-cruise-turkey-doubles-its-share-new-opportunities-for-greek-ports.html">Cruise | Turkey doubles its share, new opportunities for Greek ports</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51567-aid-for-the-upgrade-of-the-tourist-shelter-of-astakos-and-the-marina-of-alimos.html">Aid for the upgrade of the tourist shelter of Astakos and the Marina of Alimos</a>
<a href="tornos/trends/51566-preparing-the-settlement-of-kionia-for-the-tourist-season-an-example-to-follow.html">Preparing the settlement of Kionia for the tourist season: An example to follow</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/gastronomy/51546-the-action-of-the-region-of-crete-let-s-go-for-greens-concludes-this-weekend.html">The action of the region of Crete &quot;Let&#039;s go for... Greens&quot; concludes this weekend</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51547-%E2%80%9Cart-is-our-language%E2%80%9D-campaign-for-the-70th-anniversary-of-the-athens-epidaurus-festival.html">“Art is our Language”: Campaign for the 70th Anniversary of the Athens Epidaurus Festival</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51545-tourism-%7C-nostalgia-drives-brits%E2%80%99-travel-choices.html">Tourism | Nostalgia drives Brits’ travel choices</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/tour-operators-travel-agents/51548-eot-china-%7C-b2b-meetings-with-chengdu-s-tos-flights-to-athens-in-june.html">ΕΟΤ China | B2B meetings with Chengdu&#039;s t.os - Flights to Athens in June</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51549-state-of-the-art-conference-center-at-theartemis-palace-hotel-in-rethymno.html">State-of-the-art conference center at Theartemis Palace Hotel in Rethymno</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51550-zagori-collaboration-with-impact-hub-athens-for-sustainable-tourism-and-innovation.html">Zagori: Collaboration with Impact Hub Athens for sustainable tourism and innovation</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51556-cooperation-memorandum-between-development-athens-and-piraeus-university-on-tourism.html">Cooperation Memorandum between Development Athens and Piraeus University on Tourism</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51552-kos-new-advertising-campaigns-with-jet2-and-national-geographic-traveller-uk.html">Kos: New advertising campaigns with Jet2 and National Geographic Traveller UK</a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51551-five-cruise-ships-in-souda-by-saturday.html">Five cruise ships in Souda by Saturday</a>
<a href="tornos/events/51554-imbros-trail-run-hike-2025-a-sporting-tribute-to-the-history-of-sfakia.html">Imbros Trail Run &amp; Hike 2025: A sporting tribute to the History of Sfakia</a>
<a href="greek-news/culture/51553-cultural-days-and-sea-routes-in-piraeus.html">Cultural Days and Sea Routes in Piraeus</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51555-religious-tourism-the-university-of-palermo-comes-to-panagia-nafpaktiotissa.html">Religious Tourism | The University of Palermo comes to Panagia Nafpaktiotissa</a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51557-audio-walk-in-the-sitia-geopark-a-different-exploration-experience-in-crete.html">Audio Walk in the Sitia Geopark: A Different Exploration Experience in Crete</a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51558-aegean-%E2%80%9Ctakes-off%E2%80%9D-larnaca-with-a-new-direct-flight-to-rome.html">AEGEAN “takes off” Larnaca with a new direct flight to Rome</a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/travel-agents/51636-fedhatta-tourism-bridges-between-greece-and-the-chinese-province-of-guizhou.html">FedHATTA | Tourism Bridges between Greece and the Chinese province of Guizhou </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/yachting/51634-nafplio-at-the-epicenter-of-world-yachting-with-the-10th-mediterranean-yacht-show.html">Nafplio at the epicenter of world yachting with the 10th Mediterranean Yacht Show </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51633-top-distinctions-for-greece-and-santorini-at-the-american-leisure-lifestyle-awards-2025.html">Top distinctions for Greece and Santorini at the American Leisure Lifestyle Awards 2025 </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51640-tourism-promoting-crete-in-the-arabian-gulf.html">Tourism | Promoting Crete in the Arabian Gulf </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/hotels/51637-hotrec-supporting-smes-in-european-hospitality.html">HOTREC | Supporting SMEs in European Hospitality </a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51631-samaria-gorge-%E2%80%9Cwar-zone%E2%80%9D-%E2%80%93-%E2%80%9Cothers-decide-we-pay-the-price%E2%80%9D.html">Samaria Gorge “War Zone” – “Others Decide, We Pay the Price” </a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51635-argosaronic-islands-need-for-a-long-term-strategy-and-modern-infrastructure.html">Argosaronic Islands: Need for a long-term strategy and modern infrastructure </a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51639-aegean-and-emirates-expand-their-partnership.html">Aegean and Emirates expand their partnership </a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51632-tripadvisor-awards-2025-elafonisi-beach-world-s-best-beach-9th-in-crete-sani-beach-award.html">TripAdvisor Awards 2025 | Elafonisi Beach World&#039;s Best Beach - 9th in Crete, Sani Beach Award </a>
<a href="transport/airlines/51638-delta-athens-is-in-5th-place-in-american-searches-for-2025.html">Delta | Athens is in 5th place in American searches for 2025 </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51642-crete-also-invests-in-cycling-tourism-13th-pediadas-tour.html">Crete also invests in cycling tourism - 13th Pediadas Tour </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/thematic-tourism/51644-competitions-with-a-summer-and-autumn-backdrop-attica-runs-at-the-pace-of-sports.html">Competitions with a summer and autumn backdrop: Attica runs at the pace of sports </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51643-12th-bajagreece-motorsports-competition-in-western-macedonia.html">12th BAJAGREECE: Motorsports Competition in Western Macedonia </a>
<a href="transport/51641-promotion-of-preveza-on-the-metro-and-tram-in-athens.html">Promotion of Preveza on the metro and tram in Athens </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51628-atm-25-tourism-the-fight-against-food-waste-at-the-forefront-of-sustainable-development.html">ATM&#039;25 - Tourism | The fight against food waste at the forefront of sustainable development </a>
<a href="tornos/events/50684-pm-at-1st-greece-saudi-arabia-high-level-strategic-cooperation-council-on-monday.html">PM at 1st Greece-Saudi Arabia High-Level Strategic Cooperation Council on Monday </a>
<a href="tornos/events/50697-what-to-expect-at-this-year%E2%80%99s-itb-berlin-exhibition-from-march-4-6.html">What to expect at this year’s ITB Berlin Exhibition from March 4-6 </a>
<a href="tornos/events/50661-greece-s-permanent-delegation-to-unesco-organizing-concert-on-january-16.html">Greece&#039;s Permanent Delegation to UNESCO organizing concert on January 16 </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/50998-what-the-israeli-ambassador-discussed-at-the-chania-chamber.html">What the Israeli Ambassador discussed at the Chania Chamber </a>
<a href="tornos/events/50683-athens-to-host-the-european-film-awards-in-2027.html">Athens to host the European Film Awards in 2027 </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/51396-north-macedonia-increase-in-foreign-tourists-in-2024.html">North Macedonia: Increase in foreign tourists in 2024 </a>
<a href="tornos/green-travel/51219-alonissos-tops-the-list-of-greek-destinations-without-mass-tourism.html">Alonissos tops the list of Greek destinations without mass tourism </a>
<a href="tornos/events/51437-athens-municipality-festival-2025-the-city-s-biggest-celebration-with-more-than-200-events.html">Athens Municipality Festival 2025 | The city&#039;s biggest celebration, with more than 200 events </a>
<a href="transport/cruises/51645-cruise-takeoff-in-chania-%E2%80%93-record-arrivals-in-the-first-quarter-of-2025.html">Cruise Takeoff in Chania – Record Arrivals in the First Quarter of 2025 </a>
<a href="tourism-businesses/markets/50688-german-tourism-advance-bookings-are-the-new-last-minute.html">German tourism: Advance bookings are the new &quot;last-minute&quot; </a>
Greece has been the target of an earthquake reaching 5 and above on the Richter scale
with Mytilene in Lesvos suffering the effects
The earthquake hit Greece on Tuesday night local time and impacted various parts of the country
recorded at 5.1 on the Richter scale in Mytilene
the epicentre of the vibration was 8km East Northeast of Mithymna
Local media reported that that Mytilenian residents expressed intense concern due to the duration of the earthquake
Gerasimos Papadopoulos wrote &#8220;Earthquake of magnitude 5.2 in the marine area north of Lesvos&#8221;
President of the Organization of Antiseismic Planning and Protection (OASP)
explained that the area is a place where earthquakes do happen
pointing to a previous 4.9 Richter quake on 7 January in 2023
&#8220;The earthquake caused minor landslides on the roards,&#8221; he said in a statement
adding that &#8220;we have to monitor the situation&#8221;
When asked if the earthquake affected any particular fault
Lekkas stated that there are many faults in the area and we need to monitor the aftershock sequence to find out specifically
&#8220;We are monitoring the development of the phenomenon closely,&#8221; the OASP president concluded
There was also a seismic tremor that measured in at 5.0 which struck Lesvos on the same night
According to the automatic solution from the Geodynamic Institute
the epicentre is located 10 kilometers north of Mantamados and had a focal depth of 5 km
Refugees from the Moria camp protest near Mytilene on the Greek island of Lesbos on Saturday
a few days after a fire destroyed the refugee camp
Just days after <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/10/911369586/fires-leave-thousands-of-asylum-seekers-on-greek-island-homeless">fire</a> tore through the Moria refugee camp in the Greek island of Lesbos and displaced more than 12,000 people
some of those same people were tear-gassed by police while protesting the construction of a replacement camp
Protesters say they want to leave the island altogether
Hundreds of refugees gathered Saturday, some chanting "freedom" and carrying signs, while bulldozers cleared debris in preparation for a new tent settlement, Reuters <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/uk-europe-migrants-greece-lesbos-idAFKBN2630I2">reported</a>
Police fired tear gas after some protesters tried to march to Mytilene
The new Lesbos camp, set up at an army firing range, will host about 3,000 people, according to <a href="https://www.ekathimerini.com/256881/article/ekathimerini/news/relocation-of-migrants-to-new-lesvos-camp-starts">local media</a>
Families and members of "vulnerable groups" will get priority
It's not clear what will happen to the other 9,000 or so refugees
After the fires, Greek officials relocated more than 400 unaccompanied children to mainland Greece, according to <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2020/09/11/europe/lesbos-fire-migants-moria-camp-intl/index.html">CNN</a>
But authorities have refused mass transfer off the island
Officials promised to provide safe and sanitary conditions at the new tent encampment
The Moria camp was built to house 3,000 people but <a href="https://www.npr.org/2020/09/10/911369586/fires-leave-thousands-of-asylum-seekers-on-greek-island-homeless">at least four times</a> as many people have been living there
Complicating the resettlement are fears of the coronavirus
Authorities have lost track of 35 camp residents who had tested positive for the virus
And the displaced refugees have had no access to basic sanitation in the days since the Moria camp burned
president of Athens and Piraeus hospital doctors' union
"These people haven't even had access to water all these days
<a href="/about-npr/186948703/corporate-sponsorship">Become an NPR sponsor</a>
A magnitude 5.3 earthquake struck near Mitilini
on the island of Lesbos in the North Aegean
which occurred at a shallow depth of just 3.80 kilometres
was reported by the European-Mediterranean Seismological Centre (EMSC)
one of the leading global agencies monitoring seismic activity
The earthquake’s epicentre was near the town of Mitilini
While initial reports from the EMSC indicated a magnitude of 5.3
a secondary report from the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) registered a slightly higher magnitude of 5.8
and depth may undergo revision as seismologists analyze and refine further data or as other monitoring agencies issue additional reports
There have been no immediate reports of significant damage or casualties
Local authorities and emergency services are expected to monitor the situation as more details emerge
‘Tencere yuvarlanmis kapagini bulmus.’ Don’t you have the same proverb?” a woman from Kusadasi on Turkey’s western Aegean coast
eating at the table next to ours on the island of Agathonisi asked the waiter
“I bet she means ‘Birds of a feather flock together,’” the Greek owner of the restaurant tells us
in a straight line from Alexandroupoli to Kastellorizo
There has been a huge influx of Turkish visitors to the eastern Aegean islands and the trend is not only due to the fast-track visa process that gives citizens of the neighboring country the right to travel to 10 Greek islands (Lemnos
One of the main reasons is the rising inflation in Turkey that makes the nearby Greek destinations attractive
but also the different type of prevailing tourist accommodations in the two countries
the majority of accommodation options are small and medium-sized hotels
mostly family-owned – and the same applies to most tavernas
beaches that charge a hefty entrance fee and restaurants that are off limits
Greece is heading for a year of record arrivals from Turkey
According to data from the Ministry of Citizen Protection
a total of 182,000 tourists had come from Turkey
of whom 35,000 had used the visa-at-the-gate scheme that costs 60 euros per person for seven days
If one wonders why Turkish tourists would prefer this option to buying the 120-euro annual visa
the answer is simple: To obtain the latter
one has to make an appointment for the formalities
the fast-track visa is issued a few days before the trip – though there is a ceiling of up to 300 people per day per Greek island
we are witnessing something rather strange: Many Greeks cannot afford to go on vacation to the islands of the northern Aegean and the Dodecanese this year because of the unaffordable ferry tickets
but for the Turks these islands are much cheaper than staying in their country
a Greek couple without a car will pay 285 euros to travel by ferry (in a cabin) to Samos from Piraeus
According to the number of arrivals so far
Mytilene and Chios are the islands that have benefited the most from Turkish tourism
The trend has been continuing over the past few years
“Right now about 75% of tourists in Mytilene are Turkish,” says Aris Lazaris
general secretary of the Association of Travel-Tourism Agents of Lesvos
has direct insight into the impact of the fast-track visa measure
as he was the first to bring tourist groups from Turkey to Lesvos in 2010
“It helped enormously and without it we would be at one third of the current arrivals
And we have worked intensively in recent years with a presence at Turkish tourist exhibitions to advertise our country,” he tells Kathimerini
I will only tell you that we have run out of lobsters on the island
they will enjoy it; they won’t get a Greek salad like the Northerners
it is important that we are professional toward them
there is no such behavior from the Mytileneans,” he adds
Chios has been clearly supported by the Turks
but all year around,” says Thodoris Pyliotis
local journalist with state-run broadcaster ERT
“During Ramadan we reached incredible occupancy rates
although we always had a tourist stream from across the sea
they are also good customers,” he continues
“They don’t just leave money in hotels and tavernas
The nice thing is that these people have developed a solid vacationing relationship
president of the Izmir branch of the Turkish Travel Agents Association of Turkish Travel Agencies (TURSAB)
“I won’t forget when I went to Chios after the coronavirus [pandemic]
I sat in a pastry shop and the shopkeeper refused repeatedly to take money from me
He wanted to treat me because I was one of the first Turks to return to the island
How can you not be moved?” he tells Kathimerini
“Your islands are beautiful and the Greeks treat us with warmth.”
Meric says that the rise in inflation has bloated prices to such an extent in Turkey that it pushes many of his fellow countrymen to vacation abroad
“Until today we were economically competitive in the international market
not only for locals but also for foreigners
In areas like Bodrum the restaurants are too expensive and on the beaches many entrepreneurs have financial issues because they have a lot of expenses and little traffic
I think that this year we will have a record number of Turks in Greece.”
even though the fast-track visa does not apply
they are already talking about the highest numbers of Turkish tourists in recent years
local businesspeople complain about the hassle that the Turks go through before they enter Greece
“It is embarrassing that they need three to seven hours every day to go through customs and passport control,” says Andreas Andreoglou
they eat like we did before the financial crisis,” he continues
Food prices in Istanbul have risen so much that it is profitable for them to come to us from the land border
They love our country because they have a good time here
If they didn’t suffer the odyssey at the border
the city and the country would have benefited many times over.”
you can always see large jeeps with Turkish license plates
“They are our regular clientele,” says the hotel’s manager
“Some Greeks say that it’s a shame that we don’t have the visa-at-the-door scheme
The Turks who come to Evros are high-income clients
they feel they stand out because they can travel to Greece
“The Turks saved us financially this summer as well
On Samos we had a 50% drop in Dutch and Scandinavians who usually come,” says 45-year-old Fotini Geronti
It was founded by her mother and named after her great-grandmother
to the customers behind the reception desk
“I learned it in Izmir with intensive lessons because I had Turkish friends who didn’t know a word of English
I met them in the 2000s at the prefecture’s tourism organization and we used to go to tourism fairs in Izmir and in Istanbul,” she tells us
“Our customers are 80-90% Turks from Istanbul
but with the express visa we saw a new increase
What interests them is where they will listen to Greek music and where they will eat squid and octopus.”
We have two things that separate us: Politics and the knowledge of history,” says Geronti
“As a descendant of migrants from Asia Minor
when I hear their comments on historical issues
When I tell them that my grandmother came from Turkey with just the clothes she was wearing
they tell me that she came with the [1923 population] exchange
Just because we are in the tourism business it doesn’t mean we have lost our conscience or forgotten our experiences.” 
A total of 372,495 tourists from Turkey visited Lesvos
The pilot visa-on-arrival program at the ports of the northeastern Aegean islands brought an additional 54,373 Turkish tourists to the region
The pilot visa program allows Turkish citizens and their families to receive limited territorial visas upon arrival at the island ports
depending on the purpose and conditions of their visit
21,987 visas were issued at the entry points in Lesvos
initiated following a meeting between Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan with the approval of the European Commission
significantly contributed to the rise in Turkish visitors to the islands
From the program&#8217;s implementation until August 31
a total of 372,495 tourists from Turkey visited the islands
according to a statement by the North Aegean Police Department
The number of 254,213 Turkish tourists marks a record in the history of tourism in the northern Aegean (with 54,373 arriving through visa-on-arrival at the ports)
It&#8217;s also noteworthy that a large number of European citizens (approximately 80,000) visited the islands via Turkey
many of whom are of Turkish origin and have acquired citizenship in the European countries where they reside
The newly constructed terminal at Mytilene Airport on the Greek island of Lesbos has welcomed its inaugural flight
The completion of the Odysseas Elytis terminal marks another important milestone in Fraport Greece’s investment program
At Mytilene the operator invested €20m (US$22m) in the construction of a new 7,185m2  (77,340ft2) terminal
a 30% increase in check-in counters (in comparison to the old terminal) and the installation of a new
the new terminal will accommodate premium stores
a choice of F&amp;B offerings and many new amenities and services
The airport also now boasts a completely remodeled apron area
Join us at the three-day stream titled Airport Design, Planning &amp; Development at Passenger Terminal CONFERENCE 2020. <a href="https://www.passengerterminal-expo.com/en/conf-track.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The full conference program can be found here</a>
Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker
Lesbos -- Some asylum-seekers on the Greek island of Lesbos moved into temporary tent housing Saturday
some of the thousands left homeless after fires destroyed the notoriously overcrowded..
This document may not be reprinted without the express written permission of Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Material from the Associated Press is Copyright © 2025
audio and/or video material shall not be published
rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium
Neither these AP materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and noncommercial use
The AP will not be held liable for any delays
errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing
The Castle of Mytilene in the capital of the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos
Authorities are carrying out works to promote the Byzantine site – which findings suggest hosted a sanctuary to Demeter
Kore and Cybele in ancient times before it was turned into a fortress – and improve accessibility to the Lower Castle (Kato Kastro) on the northwest side
restoration work on the seaside wall has uncovered what is believed to be the earliest known bath complex of the island’s Ottoman years
It is believed that the baths were constructed on the orders of the Kapudan Pasha
started from the bay of Moudros in Lemnos on the night of November 7 and anchored in the early hours of November 8
1912 outside the port of Mytilene in Lesvos
the flagship of the fleet was the famous Georgios Averoff battleship who on its own liberated several Greek islands from the clutches of the Ottomans
After the delivery of <a href="https://infognomonpolitics.gr/2020/11/chronia-polla-sti-lesvo-mas/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Koundouriotis&#8217; ultimatum</a> to the Ottoman authorities of the island
with which the immediate surrender of the city was requested
a meeting was held between the Ottoman authorities and the Christian and Muslim dignitaries of Mytilene
At this meeting it was decided to withdraw the small Ottoman armed forces inside the island and to occupy Mytilene without bloodshed in order to avoid the unnecessary bloodshed of the unarmed population
The disembarkation of the Greek Marines and sailors began at 12:30 pm
under frantic festivities that took place in the so-called Petroskala
which was located at the site of today&#8217;s Customs Building
A eulogy was held in the metropolitan church of Agios Athanasios
chanting &#8220;Christ is Risen&#8221; together with all those present
the Greek authorities declared the union of Lesvos with Greece and declared equality for all the inhabitants
One of the first measures of the Greek administration was the issuance of a commemorative series of stamps
The issue was marked with the Ottoman postage stamps confiscated with the phrase: &#8220;Greek Occupation of Mytilene&#8221;
The word &#8220;occupation&#8221; signified the temporary nature of Lesvos&#8217; integration into Greece
the fate of the two islands of the Northeast Aegean
were different with the above treaty as they were awarded to Turkey
The number of Greek forces that landed on Lesvos not exceed 1,600 men
Because the Ottoman army numbered 1,500-2,000 men
it was decided not to make the final clash before reinforcements and ammunition arrived
When the Greek army landed in Lesvos on November 8
several Christian patriots were put at the disposal of the Greek army
which equipped them with the aim of using them as a militia in the villages and as a counterweight to the Muslim guerrilla corps
acts of terrorism against the civilian population were not lacking either by the Christians or by the Muslim insurgents in the areas of their action
with the result that an elusive countryside experienced moments of barbarism
the Greek authorities demanded the disarmament of the Christian guerrilla corps and punished several militants who took the lead in incidents against the civilian Muslim population
The Ottoman regular military forces were fortified in their camp in Klapados
a Muslim village that no longer exists today and was located in the wider region of Lafiona
the Christian inhabitants of the still Turkish-occupied part of the island had no doubt about the final outcome of the battle
The Greek army had been significantly reinforced by about 1,500 men and many local volunteers
The main body of the volunteers was the famous Lesvian battalion which consisted of 210 Lesvian immigrants who had come returned from America to help liberate their homeland
After the arrival of the coveted reinforcements at the end of November
the Greek army marched towards the fortified Ottoman camp in Klapados
The Ottoman camp of Klapados did not withstand a long offensive by the Greek army
which began on December 6 and was accompanied by targeted artillery fire
The bombing of the camp was complemented by amazingly accurate shots fired by Greek warships off the coast of Petra
The surrender Ottoman army finally signed the surrender of Lesvos on the morning of December 8
Government calls in further reinforcements after teargas fired during island protests
As hundreds of mainly Afghan asylum seekers converged on Mytilene
on Tuesday to protest against conditions in the island’s vastly overcrowded camp
the government ordered in the reinforcements
“It’s a powder keg ready to explode,” Kostas Moutzouris
I was shaking [at the thought] of where the situation could go,” he said
referring to Monday’s violent protests in which riot police fired teargas to disperse the crowd
especially on Lesbos where we have 25,000 migrants.”
the government agreed to dispatch a further two riot police units in addition to extra squads that were ordered in on Sunday
The reinforcements were expected to strengthen patrols around the sprawling migrant camp outside the hilltop village of Moria once they arrive late on Tuesday
The move came as the United Nations refugee agency called on authorities to urgently move thousands of refugees from Lesbos
the islands on the frontline of what has been a surge in the number of arrivals by sea from Turkey
Targeted with renewed vigour by human traffickers ferrying boatloads of desperate people from the Turkish coast, more than 74,000 asylum seekers reached Greece last year, more than any other place in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news" data-link-name="in body link" data-component="auto-linked-tag">Europe</a>
More than half – 42,000 – are trapped on the islands in facilities designed to house no more than 5,400
7,000 people – the equivalent of the island’s population – are crammed into a camp built to host fewer than 700
Aid groups have warned of a humanitarian crisis in the making
“A third are children and seven out of 10 of them are under the age of 12,” said Boris Cheshirkov
adding that conditions in the facilities had deteriorated sharply since the summer
survivors of torture and others whose physical and mental condition is impaired
The government must urgently implement its plan to move people to the mainland
improve conditions and enforce a fast and fair asylum procedure.”
It was crucial that other regions in Greece showed solidarity towards the islands
which have borne the brunt of the refugee crisis and the EU also opened up the relocation process
Athens’ centre-right administration had promised to transfer 20,000 people last year but with arrivals far outpacing departures the goal has not been met
Faced with a backlog of close to 90,000 asylum requests
it has also pledged to step up deportations and create “closed” camps on the outposts
a move that has infuriated locals and increased tensions on the islands
Turkish tourists are flocking to Lesvos on the occasion of the seker bayrami holiday in Turkey
with more than 1,700 visitors arriving on five ships from Ayvali on the opposite coast on Thursday
The visitors were welcomed at the port of Mytilene with ouzo
sweets and hats by representatives from the local municipality and other agencies
More than 6,000 Turkish tourists are expected to visit the island during the seker bayrami holiday
Lesvos launched fast-track visas for Turkish tourists on April 1 following an agreement between Athens and Ankara
to revive a previous scheme the special Schengen Express Visa program for Turkish citizens wishing to visit certain eastern Aegean islands
Turkish citizens can now apply for a seven-day tourist visa for 10 Greek islands close to the Turkish coast
expresses its deep sorrow and grief over the death of the Metropolitan of Lemnos
the Church of Greece appoints Metropolitan Iakovos of Mytilene
as locum tenens for the Holy Metropolis of Lemnos and Agios Efstratios
the Patriarchate of Jerusalem solemnly celebrated the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women...
Archbishop Elpidophoros of America celebrated the Divine Liturgy at the Monastery of the Theotokos..
it was announced that two Roman Catholic institutions in Bavaria have decided to jointly..
A car once used by Pope Francis during his 2014 visit to Bethlehem is being transformed into a mobile..
the Monastery of Saint Vlash in Albania hosted a festal Divine Liturgy on the..
Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece presided over the festal Great Vespers at the historic..
(function() {	window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || {		listeners: []
cb) {				window.mc4wp.listeners.push(					{						event   : evt
					callback: cb					}				);			}		}	}})();
© 2023 <a href="http://orthodoxtimes.com" title="OrthodoxTimes.com">OrthodoxTimes.com</a> - All rights reserved
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly
This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website
These cookies do not store any personal information
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics
other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies
It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website
<a href="https://www.medievalists.net/" rel="home">Medievalists.net</a>
Here are five riddles written in the eleventh-century
Christopher de Mytilene and John Mauropous both lived in the Byzantine empire during the eleventh-century
and gained a measure of fame during their careers
Their works have recently been edited and translated
and it shows they had a wide variety of interests
A few riddles were included in this collection
and we offer five of them to see if you can guess what the answers were
(function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(d.getElementById(id))return;js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src='https://embed.playbuzz.com/sdk.js';fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}(document,'script','playbuzz-sdk'));
The Poems of Christopher of Mytilene and John Mauropous
edited and translated by Floris Bernard and Christopher Livanos
which range from the deeply religious to the comedic
One of our favourites in &#8216;On the Bath&#8217; by Christopher of Mytilene:
See also: <a href="https://www.medievalists.net/2018/04/medieval-riddles/">Can you Solve these 10 Medieval Riddles?</a>
Top Image: 11th century Plaque with Saint Peter made in Byzantium
now on display at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model
We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval
podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages
We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast
and remove the advertising on our platforms
This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/medievalists" title="Become a Patron"></a> <a href="/mnet-patreon-login.php?v=menu" title="Patreon Login" class="footer-patreon-login-button">Member Login</a>
This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks
The action you just performed triggered the security solution
There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase
You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked
Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page
Turkish decision to open doors to Europe for migrants risks overwhelming resources
carrying 127 Afghans to the north of the Aegean isle
his face covered by a surgical mask handed to him by the Greek police
we were in the boat for four hours and all the time I thought
raising a right hand with all five fingers missing
the price he says he has paid in torture for political opposition
1:03Refugees arrive on Lesbos as Turkey opens border – videoKamaras’ chance to traverse the sea came last week when, in a move of unexpected brinkmanship, Turkey’s president, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, vowed to “open the doors” for migrants to enter Europe <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/29/erdogan-says-border-will-stay-open-as-greece-tries-to-repel-influx" data-link-name="in body link">in retaliation for the EU failing to support Ankara in Syria</a>
While thousands headed towards Greece’s land frontier others
as many as 150,000 are now thought to have gathered on the country’s western shores in the hope of crossing
ever growing numbers of women and children had reportedly joined those grouped on beaches opposite the outposts
despite the Greek government rushing to make a defensive ring of naval vessels and coastguard ships around the isles
An all-out drive to create crudely made inflatables has also been launched as traffickers amass in the area
Seconded to the local police department’s immigration sector
Fykias makes countless trips patrolling Lesbos’ sealine every day in his battered Citroën
what greeted him barely an hour after his 6.30am shift began was a surprise even for him
“One after the other the boats were coming in,” he says stopping at a beach strewn with the remains of rubber dinghies
<a href="#img-3" data-ignore="global-link-styling" aria-hidden="true" tabIndex="-1" class="open-lightbox dcr-13fd1ms">View image in fullscreen</a>Sgt Panaghiotis Fykias fears the worst
Photograph: Helena Smith/The Guardian“To be honest I am not hopeful
the weather was perfect [for the crossing] but if these flows continue
There are 27,000 migrants here and residents have lost patience
The situation could easily get out of control.”
The first officer to arrive at the scene when reports emerged of a boat landing close to the Statue of Liberty – the showpiece sculpture within metres of the harbour of Mytilene
the island’s capital – Fykias encountered people as much elated as exhausted
“There were pregnant women among them, lots of children, faces that looked so very tired,” he says. “<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2020/feb/28/coronavirus-outbreak-migrants-blamed-italy-matteo-salvini-marine-le-pen" data-link-name="in body link">But with coronavirus we have a procedure now</a>, to hand out face masks, head count and put them on buses for Moria camp.”
Read more</a>In a sign of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/28/lesbos-braces-for-more-refugees-as-turkey-threatens-to-open-borders" data-link-name="in body link">brewing tensions on the island</a>
Enraged at the sight of more migrants arriving locals moved to set up road blocks to prevent them even getting to the vastly overcrowded holding facility
assailants rounded on volunteers with an aid organisation
it will be the beginning of the end,” Yannis Mastroyiannis
the community head of Moria’s hilltop village insisted
Kamaras had not moved further than a few meters away from the statue
had been held up by roadblocks and returned to a guarded area in the harbour
It was his first taste of Europe’s promised land
ideal for snorkelling and refreshing dives
If you&rsquo;re vacationing in Lesvos and are planning to meet friends at Vatera Beach
make sure that you choose a specific meeting point and not a vague &ldquo;somewhere on the beach&rdquo; if you intend to find each other
Vatera&rsquo;s sandy shore stretches for a whopping eight kilometers
making it the longest beach on Lesvos and one of the longest in Greece
the beach&rsquo;s length means visitors can enjoy plenty of space
whether you&rsquo;re at one of the beach bars or just throwing down your towel onto the sand
One of the loveliest aspects of this beach
will make you want to take several invigorating dives during your visit
The inviting waters of Vatera are known to rouse even the most laid-back vacationers
For those who enjoy underwater exploration
bringing a mask or snorkel along is a must
Here you can swim among fish and see beautifully colored shells
confirmed what local farmers had long suspected: that this part of Lesvos was a paleontological treasure trove
It turns out that Vatera is filled with fossils dated back to around two million years and the late Pleistocene Epoch
Among the finds unearthed were prehistoric horses
and a giant tortoise the size of a small car
It was connected to the coast of Asia Minor
and the Gulf of Vatera was a shallow subtropical sea
with meandering rivers that flowed through the area and emptied into the sea
The animals mentioned above died near a river and their remains were carried downstream
When Dermitzakis and his team discovered them
they were relocated to the nearby village of Vrisa
the University of Athens set up a branch of the Museum of Palaeontology and Geology dedicated to the region&rsquo;s paleontological finds
It&rsquo;s well worth the time and effort to have a look around at what they found
a great way to spend the day is to visit the traditional village of Agiasos after your morning swim at Vatera
A mountainous village at an altitude of 460 meters on the slopes of Mount Olympus
Agiasos lies around 30 kilometers from Vatera (and 27 kilometers from the city of Mytilene)
It is known for its interesting architecture
traditional cafes and the warm hospitality of its inhabitants
In the surrounding area there are some wonderful hiking trails to enjoy
Vatera is located 50 kilometers from the city of Mytilene
and 8 kilometers from the village of Polichnitos
and having a means of transport is key if you want to properly explore it
where you stay in Lesvos will significantly affect your experience of the island
One good idea is to group the places you&rsquo;d most like to visit based on their geographic location
Mytilene has ferry connections to the Turkish coast and Ayvalik
It&rsquo;s worth visiting this Turkish town with its rich Greek history
Lesvos is well known for its excellent gastronomy and overall
be sure to visit the Petrified Forest in Sigri
a unique natural phenomenon in Europe and extremely rare worldwide
<a href="https://www.travel.gr/en/explore-en/the-north-aegean-island-of-lesvos-5-must-visit-settlements/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">The North Aegean Island of Lesvos&rsquo; 5 Must-Visit Settlements</a>
<a href="https://www.travel.gr/en/experiences-ee/agiasos-the-colourful-mountain-jewel-of-lesvos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Agiasos, the Colourful Mountain Village of Lesvos</a>
<a href="https://www.travel.gr/en/experiences-ee/top-attractions-on-the-north-aegean-island-of-lesvos/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Top Attractions on the North Aegean Island of Lesvos</a>
</a>new video loaded: Migrants Flood Greek Island of Lesbos
transcriptBackbars0:00/8:07-8:07transcript