Do you see this bronze figure before us? This is the Eleftherios Venizelos Bust. It stands here as a symbol of Greek-Romanian friendship. Let me tell you the story behind this monument to Eleftherios Venizelos.
The Eleftherios Venizelos Bust commemorates a pivotal figure in Greek history. Eleftherios Venizelos was a Cretan Greek statesman. He served as Prime Minister of Greece for over 12 years. His terms spanned from 1910 to 1933. Venizelos modernized Greece through liberal-democratic policies. He expanded Greece through military and diplomatic efforts. Because of this, he shifted Greece toward the Western sphere of influence.
He is often called “The Maker of Modern Greece”. Many also know him as the “Ethnarch”. Venizelos first entered the international scene by helping Crete gain autonomy. Later, he helped unite Crete with Greece. In 1909, he was invited to Athens to resolve a political deadlock. He became Prime Minister soon after.
Venizelos initiated constitutional and economic reforms. These changes modernized Greek society. He reorganized the Greek Army and Navy. This was in preparation for future conflicts. Before the Balkan Wars, Venizelos helped Greece join the Balkan League. This alliance united Balkan states against the Ottoman Empire. Through his diplomacy, Greece doubled its area. It also doubled its population with the liberation of Macedonia, Epirus and most Aegean islands.
During World War I, Venizelos sided with the Allies. This further expanded Greek borders. However, his pro-Allied stance caused conflict. Constantine I wanted Greece to remain neutral. This led to the National Schism of the 1910s. This Schism divided the population between royalists and Venizelists for decades.
After the Allied victory, Venizelos secured territorial concessions in Western Anatolia and Thrace. His goal was to unite Greek-speaking people under Greece. However, he lost the 1920 General Election. This defeat contributed to Greece’s loss in the Greco-Turkish War. Venizelos went into self-imposed exile. He still represented Greece in negotiations. These talks led to the Treaty of Lausanne. It also led to a population exchange between Greece and Turkey.
In January 1933, Venizelos became Prime Minister again for a short time. After a coup attempt in March 1935, he fled to Paris. He died there. He was buried on a hill in Crete near his birthplace.
The placement of the Eleftherios Venizelos Bust was a result of cooperation. The Greek community in Romania, the Greek Embassy and the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” worked together. In June 2011, Greek President Karolos Papoulias visited Bucharest. He unveiled the Eleftherios Venizelos Bust in a central square. This event honored Venizelos. It also celebrated Greek-Romanian relations.
Consider the legacy of Eleftherios Venizelos as you stand here. This bust reminds us of his impact on Greece. It also highlights the friendship between Greece and Romania. His vision shaped modern Greece. His diplomatic skills fostered international cooperation.