The case of the monastery of Saint Catherine in Sinai is extremely complex. The impressions of the moment based on the first publication of the issue were strong, resulting in a lot of noise that constituted a threat to the stability of Athens-Cairo relations. However, the background is raging. It should be considered certain that in the days that follow, starting last weekend, dimensions will be revealed that point to a major geopolitical “game”, with a strong presence of economic interests.
According to extremely reliable sources, the geopolitical dimension also concerns the relations between Greece and Egypt. It is not in the interest of our country to express suspicions about the… candidacies of those -countries- who would have an interest in interfering with them. Let us assume that several countries would like to create obstacles and the complicated case of Saint Catherine in Sinai provided the opportunity.
The available information insists that the intentions of the Egyptian leadership towards Greece remain extremely positive and this is a result of the geopolitical developments in the region that resemble quicksand. The interests at stake are multiple and there are many countries that are making their tactical moves on the chessboard, taking advantage of the monastery case. The case does not end here, since there are reportedly dozens of legal appeals that are in progress…
In the field of economic interests, the region is in a developmental orgasm. The Egyptians are interested in utilizing the Christian heritage in Sinai for tourist purposes. An ultra-modern luxury hotel with thousands of beds is being built in the region, while an airport is also being built an hour away. The monastery reacts, believing that it cannot bear all this burden.
The project is called “Great Transformation” and aims to transform Sinai into an international destination for spiritual, cultural and conference tourism. The total investment is approaching 320 million dollars, with the aim – as reported by the competent bodies – of attracting up to 30 million tourists by 2028, a fact that, as they state, will bring enormous economic benefits to Egypt.
They themselves claim that the projects are fully in line with UNESCO standards, as the area has been designated a World Heritage Site since 2002.
However, there are quite a few – and first of all the Egyptian media – who believe that the recent court decision to confiscate the Monastery’s properties is not at all unrelated to this construction boom.
In fact, they point out the timing of the decision with the beginning of the “Great Transformation”, implying that this development would directly serve the interests of specific economic circles.
On the other hand, there are many property issues that have been developing for many years and it is not appropriate to attempt to attribute responsibility to the Greek Orthodox or Egyptian side. The situation is complicated and since the case also has the dimension of economic interest, the purely religious dimension of a leading Christian pilgrimage is “adulterated”.
Having said that, let us limit ourselves to mentioning that Greek diplomacy must understand the case in depth, determine the Greek national interest and become a key actor in the processes that will follow. It is not possible for many states with interests in the region to each play their own game and for Athens not to claim a leading role, since it knows that much is at stake in the eastern Mediterranean…
