Speaking from the floor of the Greek Parliament on Wednesday, Education Minister Sofia Zacharaki firmly rejected accusations of state interference in Church matters, following a controversial amendment related to the election process of metropolitans within the Church of Crete.
“There is no intention or desire to interfere in the internal affairs of the Church. This is simply an interpretive provision requested by the Ecumenical Patriarchate, confirming the legality and canonical nature of the matter,” Zacharaki stated.
The amendment, which allows Metropolitans from one region of a Church to be eligible for election in another Metropolis within the same Church, was inserted into a bill concerning military hospitals. The move prompted sharp criticism, particularly from the Church of Crete, which issued a statement condemning what it called an attempt to influence the upcoming election of the new Metropolitan of Kydonia and Apokoronas.
Parliamentary debate intensified after Zoe Konstantopoulou, head of the “Plefsi Eleftherias” Party, labeled the amendment “a blatant intervention by the government in the Church’s constitutional charter.”
In response, Zacharaki maintained that the provision did not originate from the Ministry in a vacuum: “The Ministry of Education did not legislate on its own initiative. The Ecumenical Patriarchate requested an interpretive clause. With confirmation from the Patriarchate on its legality and canonicity, we proceeded with the legislation.”
She emphasized that the Church of Crete was informed and involved throughout the process: “This is an interpretive clause—requested, communicated, and confirmed as both legal and canonical by the Ecumenical Patriarchate. The Ministry merely facilitated dialogue between the Church of Crete and the Patriarchate.”
Zacharaki concluded by underscoring that the amendment should not be misinterpreted as a sudden or politically motivated move: “The process began at the request of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. Any suggestion of improper interference, particularly involving names, is completely unfounded.”
