To the Hellenic Parliament,

We, the undersigned, respectfully request the expansion of Greek citizenship eligibility for the descendants of Pontic Greeks who were displaced during the early 20th century, particularly during the period of persecution, forced migration, and genocide between 1914 and 1923.

Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Greeks from the Pontus region of the Ottoman Empire—along the southern coast of the Black Sea—were subjected to forced deportations, death marches, and massacres. Many survivors attempted to seek refuge in Greece. While some were able to resettle, others were denied entry due to limited state capacity or lack of documentation. A significant number fled to the Russian Empire (especially to regions like Odessa and the Caucasus), where Greek communities already existed.

After the Russian Revolution and the formation of the USSR, additional waves of Greek refugees were forced to flee again—some making it to Greece, others emigrating further abroad. The children and grandchildren of these displaced Greeks continue to maintain their identity, language, religion, and connection to Hellenism, despite lacking formal recognition.

Article 15 of the Greek Citizenship Code (Law 3284/2004) allows individuals of Greek descent born in the former Soviet Union to obtain Greek citizenship by proving their ethnic Greek origin. This has helped many Pontic Greeks from countries like Georgia, Russia, and Ukraine—but excludes many others whose ancestors fled earlier or passed through other countries.

We respectfully request the Greek government to:

Expand Article 15 and related provisions to include descendants of Pontic Greeks who fled the Ottoman Empire and passed through or settled in countries other than the former Soviet republics, including Greece, United States, Australia and others.
Accept alternative documentation of Greek identity and heritage, such as foreign records, such baptismal records, marriage certificates, refugee registrations, Refugees camp registrations from Greece. especially in cases where municipal records are missing due to war, migration, or gender-based gaps in registration (e.g., unregistered women).
Acknowledge the historical circumstances that prevented formal Greek citizenship registration for many Pontic Greeks who resided in Greece temporarily before emigrating, particularly during the years before the Treaty of Lausanne (1923) and the introduction of modern record-keeping systems.
The descendants of Pontic Greeks are part of the broader Hellenic family. Many were simply unable to remain in Greece due to poverty, lack of housing, or bureaucratic barriers in the early 20th century. Others were never recorded because their families included unregistered widows, orphans, or single women—groups often omitted from official documentation.

We ask the Greek state to extend justice to these descendants by recognizing their historical connection to Greece and providing them with a clear and fair pathway to citizenship. This is not only a legal matter, but a moral responsibility to communities who preserved their Greek identity despite being scattered across the world.

With deep respect and gratitude,
[Your Name or Organization]
[Optional: Contact Info or Signature Form]

 
This version is factually supported by Greek Law 3284/2004 (Articles 14–16), academic research on Pontic Greek displacement, and historical migration records. Would you like help turning this into a PDF or launching it as an online petition (e.g., Change.org or Avaaz)?