Alkiviadis Stefanis New Civil Director At Mt. Athos: A Questionable Appointment

By Nick Stamatakis

The Greek government appointed a new civil director at Mount Athos after Amb. Mitsialis’s resignation. Mitsialis, who only served six months in this position, failed to “clean” the situation at Esfigmenou monastery along with other issues the foreign patrons of Greece (meaning mainly the DC “Deep State”) insisted on being dealt with. This had to do mostly with the Eastern Orthodox monasteries, which are accused of having been “penetrated” by Russian spies. We should underline here that Thanassis Martinos, the shipowner who was the Athos Civil Director from 2019 to last year, was undermined by Western centers with numerous publications and was presented as “Putin’s agent” because he and his two brothers (also shipowners) kept carrying the Russian oil during the Ukraine war. The duplicitous centers of the West ignore the fact that even today most European countries import oil and natural gas from Russia via China or India and pay double the price…

We should keep this fact in mind: The globalists have a goal to take over the last castle of Orthodoxy, Mt.Athos – and they will try everything to achieve their goal. We should not forget Geoffrey Pyatt (ambassador in Kiev during the 2014 coup and later in Athens), who visited Athos numerous times but failed miserably.  Helleniscope has nicknamed him “the Protestant fly in the Orthodox milk” for this reason… The globalists are trying to use heretic and degenerate Patriarch Bartholomew to achieve their goal.

The new civil director is Ret. General Alkiviadis Stefanis, who is also, like Mitsialis, a close confidante of Mitsotakis. His background as a military man raises several questions about how he plans to handle Mt.Athos.  We are hopeful that he will show respect for the one thousand years of a tradition of autonomy at Athos and will also respect the decisions of the Holy Superintendency (the assembly of the abbots of the 20 monasteries).  So far, this assembly has ruled REPEATEDLY that all problems have to be solved peacefully and in an amicable manner.  No outside force has ANY right to get involved in Athos without the permission of the Holy Superintendency (Ιερα Επιστασία).

BELOW YOU CAN READ THE EXCELLENT REPORT FROM MILITAIRE.GR

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source – militaire.gr

HOLY MOUNTAIN: From the agents to the general…

From the diplomat, former deputy commander of the EYP (National Intelligence  Service), who was monitoring the developments on Mount Athos from the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens to the “general”, once chosen by Panos Kammenos, who, when he was the head of the General Staff, the Turks arrested two Greek soldiers in Evros, a truly confused policy of the Mitsotakis government towards Mount Athos, which recently had new turmoil with the Monastery of Esfigmenou.

Yesterday, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs suddenly announced the diplomat Anastasios Mitsialis’s resignation as commander of Mount Athos. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Giorgos Gerapetritis, placed him in this position in December 2023 after a lot of trouble because, supposedly, the former “agent” of the EYP, as the sharply pro-government media wrote, would put things in order with the Russians “threshing” on Mount Athos.

A. Mitsialis previously had served as 3rd (!) deputy commander of the EYP. It was placed there in 2019, when the ND became the government, with EYP commander Panagiotis Kontoleontas, who “resigned” due to the major political scandal of wiretapping, together with Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s nephew, Grigoris Dimitriadis, as responsible for EYP on behalf of of the Maximos palace.

Now, 18 months later, as announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “the honorary ambassador Mr. Anastasios Mitsialis resigned from the position of Commander of Mount Athos”, and “the new Commander is assumed by the honorary head of the GES and former Minister of National Defence, general, Alcibiades Stefanis”.

Trouble in Karyes

As is known, Mount Athos is under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, while ecclesiastically, it belongs to the Ecumenical Patriarchate. It is doubtful, however, whether the opinion of the Patriarchate was also sought on the placement of Stephen, as well as the holy community on Mount Athos, which in previous years, upon hearing only the rumors that he was going to assume this position, commented very negatively . It should be noted that, years ago, a portion of the pro-government media systematically bombarded with “leaks” that A. Stefanis was suddenly becoming the commander of A. Oros.

PHOTO: The two previous commanders of A. Oros, the retired diplomat, A. Mitsialis (left) and the ship owner, T. Martinos

Interestingly, A. Mitsialis had replaced the ship owner, Thanasis Martinos, who was appointed political commander of Mount Athos in October 2019. As is well known, there was a flood of publications in the “flagships” of the American and European press against the Martinos shipping family. , because they transported the Russian energy resources with the ships. Finally, at the end of 2023, he too was replaced, after almost four years in the position of commander of Mt.Athos.

Support by Mitsotakis

According to strong rumors, A. Stefanis was waiting for this position. He had previously failed to be elected Regional Governor of the Aegean in the self-governing elections of 2023 despite the open support provided by the Prime Minister himself, K. Mitsotakis, with his personal presence at his central pre-election meeting.

In military circles, however, it was a shared secret that A. Stefanis had political ambitions, even for the position of Minister of Defense. However, he crashed repeatedly. And this, even though, from his position as Deputy Minister of Defence, it was considered that he never harmed the prime minister. At that time, among others, he was responsible for the military hospitals, for which military personnel repeatedly complained about their extremely problematic situation, and now, with the new arrangements being promoted for their integration into the National Health Service, their dissolution.

PHOTO: A. Stefanis with the “madourologist”, I. Pipini (3rd from the right), who failed to be elected as a ND MP, at a pre-election rally of the first

However, when in the reshuffle of 2021, he was removed from the position of Deputy Minister of Defense, which he had held since 2019, he waited patiently for some office, which he did not see coming. Then he advertised that from 2022 to 2023, he was an adviser to the government on critical areas and Mount Athos, i.e., a position in mothballs, while not a few of his supporters were disappointed (!) when the retired diplomat was appointed as the new commander , A. Mitsialis.

The latter, however, according to diplomatic circles, did not show any particular mobility regarding Mt. Athos. It is said that he settled in the building of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, on a high floor, where he “supervised” from afar the … orchard of Panagia. According to circles of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, his resignation is due to “personal reasons”. According to information, however, it concerns the unrest at the Esfigmenou Monastery and the planned police operation. If true, then there is a serious political issue.

Two soldiers in the hands of Turkey

However, it is a shared secret that Alkiviadis Stefanis is considered one of Panos Kammenos’ “chosen ones”, when he was Minister of Defense, during the SYRIZA – ANEL joint government. A favorite pastime of the two at the time was visiting National Guard battalions, where, as is well known, many had become a magnet for “gold diggers”.

At that time, the tenure of A. Stefanis, as head of the Greek Armed Forces, was marred by the -unacceptable for the Greek Armed Forces- incident of the arrest of two Greek soldiers in Evros by a Turkish patrol on March 1, 2018. The two suffered for many months in detention centers of Turkey, and Ankara communicatively took full advantage of the incident of the “surrender” of the two, to insult the Greek ED. Finally, they were released after intensive, months-long diplomatic processes by the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, Nikos Kotzias, and the Greek ambassador in Ankara, Petros Mavroides.

PHOTO: A. Stefanis, as Deputy Minister of Defense, with A. Tzitzikostas, who is proposed by K. Mitsotakis for the Commission

It should be noted that this incident, which does not honor the leadership of the Army at the time, took place at a time when the Turkish provocation on land, sea and air had hit the red. Therefore, it was imperative that the units, especially those on the “front line” were put on alert. The arrest of the two soldiers, however, showed that the Army leadership was acting as if nothing out of the ordinary was happening. Something that the Turkish side took advantage of, taking “hostages”.

Of course, later, when they were released, the then leadership of the Ministry of Defense even tried to organize a welcome party for the two soldiers, for their return to Greece. To “celebrate”, what?

THE POWERS OF THE ADMINISTRATOR OF THE HOLY MOUNTAIN

According to the Charter of Mount Athos and Greek legislation, the Governor of Mount Athos has specific powers and duties related to the administration and supervision of the monastic state of Mount Athos. The following are its primary responsibilities:

Implementation of laws and regulations: The Governor is responsible for implementing Greek laws, the Charter of Mount Athos, and the decisions of the Holy Community.

Maintenance of public order and security: Ensures the maintenance of public order and security within the Athos peninsula. This includes working with the relevant police and port authorities.

Administrative supervision: Supervises the administrative services of Mount Athos and ensures their proper functioning. This includes overseeing public works and services.

Communication with the Holy Community: The Holy Community of Mount Athos is the highest governing body of the monasteries, and it maintains close cooperation with it and ensures the implementation of its decisions.

Mount Athos’s Representation: The Governor represents Mount Athos in various administrative, judicial, and political bodies and consultations when required.

Management of finances and assets: In collaboration with the Holy Community, Mount Athos’s finances and assets are monitored and controlled.

Supervision of pilgrims: Ensures that pilgrims and visitors to Mount Athos observe the rules and respect religious and monastic traditions.

Settlement of disputes: The Governor has the authority to settle disputes that may arise between monasteries or between monks and laity.