Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou visited the remote island of Kinaros in the southeastern Aegean on Wednesday and met with its sole inhabitant, 75-year-old Rinio Katsotourchi.
“Rinio symbolizes this year’s Christmas,” Sakellaropoulou said. “She is lonely, but brave. This is how we should all be during these times.”
The President of the Hellenic Republic also revealed what Katsotourchi told her: “I have been in quarantine for so many years and I know what it feels like.”
Kotsatourchi, who is also known as Kyra Rinio, or “Mrs. Rinio,” has lived alone on the island since her husband Nomikos Kotsatourchis passed away in 2013.
Στην Κίναρο, καταμεσής του Αιγαίου πελάγους, με την κυρά Ρηνιώ, που συμβολίζει τα φετινά Χριστούγεννα. Μοναχικά και γενναία. Κρατά ψηλά τη σημαία της πατρίδας μας και τιμά τη μνήμη των τριών πεσόντων αξιωματικών του Πολεμικού Ναυτικού. Τη συνοδεύουν οι πιο θερμές ευχές μας! pic.twitter.com/oTYxWRKU0k
— President GR (@PresidencyGR) December 23, 2020
Her only contact with the outside world during the winter months is the weekly arrival of the boat from Amorgos, bringing essential supplies to her.
Kinaros is located west of Kalymnos and Leros and east of Amorgos. After Astypalea, it is the second-westernmost island of the Dodecanese, and it has an area of 4.5 square kilometers (1.7 square miles).
In January of 2020 Greek rescue teams launched an operation to locate her after she went missing on the island. She was found safe and well. Her seeming disappearance was a result of a loss of electrical power, which made any communication with the island impossible.
Speaking to the Greek daily newspaper Dimokratia recently, Kotsatourchi revealed her fears about Turkey taking over the islet. “I’m afraid that when I close my eyes the island will be taken over by the Turks. (Turkish President) Erdogan has previously said that Kinaros is a place of worship.”
Despite this, she stressed to interviewers, she is not frightened. “I have never felt threatened despite living in a place where Turkish fighter jets often fly over. I am not scared.”
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