The fragmentation of the Federation of Greek Orthodox Communities of Australia into three conflicting groups was confirmed at the meeting of its members held last Saturday in Melbourne.
Members who attended the meeting told Neos Kosmos that the Federation “continues to pay a heavy price for the misguided ecclesiastical choices of its leadership”.
According to sources, previous decisions made by the Federation have caused issues such as the community of Adelaide and Newcastle failing to support the choices of the leadership of the Federation in church matters and the communities of Wollongong and Clayton trying to impose their own spiritual leader.
They also stated that the Greek Community of Sydney – the only member of the Federation that returned to ecclesiastical legality – does not participate in debating ecclesiastical issues, abstinence that has upset the balance within the Federation.
The fractions within the Federation has created an “inner war” between themselves, preventing the Federation as a body to dedicate its time and resources to community issues such as education, the promotion of Greek culture and language and elderly care.
During the meeting elections for the new Board of Directors were conducted. The following were elected:
President: Nick Manos
Vice President: Dionysus Tsoukalas
Secretary: Argiro Kassoudaki
Treasurer: Ilias Mavrogiorgis
Members: Panagiotis Zafiris and Giannnis Lesses.
Mr Manos will replace Theofanis Maras, president of the Federation and the Greek Community of Adelaide for many years, who resigned from his position last October.
New president of the Greek Community of Adelaide will be elected in February. The position that was left vacant after the resignation of the elected president of the organisation, Nikos Portelos.
Mr Portelos is temporarily replaced by Evangelos Bogias.
According to community sources, the resignation of Mr Portelos will be discussed at the upcoming regular board meeting. A new president will be elected as well, to lead the community to the General Meeting in May.