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President Papoulia's message to the nation

Greek President Karolos Papoulias, who on Tuesday attended the military parade in Thessaloniki held as part of the celebrations for the October 28 national holiday (“Ohi Day”), appeared confident that Greece would overcome the crisis in unity and solidarity. 

 

“It was an excellent parade. It was a message that Greece, the Armed Forces, its people, we are all very strong and we are here to prevent any threat. Today is an exceptional day. It is a day of remembrance, of exceptional honour and respect to those who fought in 1940 and overthrew Mussolini’s fascist hordes. They gave Europe a message: that the democratic Europe can prevail and indeed it won," he said after the end of the parade. 

"Today the Greek people are struggling under very difficult conditions. I hope that in unity and solidarity, with love for each other, we will unfold the virtues that those who fought and lost their lives in the Albanian mountains did. And if we do so, I am certain that we will overcome the crisis. The crisis will not defeat us. We suffer, I know that; however, I think we should fight so as to overcome it and I hope that we will,” he added.
 

Prime Minister Antonis Samaras on Monday issued a statement on the October 28 ‘OHI’ national holiday "Greeks on October 28 honour those heroes who did not hesitate to offer even their lives for Freedom, Democracy and Human Dignity; those who fought against fascism and Nazism, leaving an indestructible legacy to all of us, those who made the Free World talk about the greatness and the offer of Greece to the common struggles,” Samaras said.
 

The October 28 anniversary is a remembrance of the people’s great victory against fascism, main opposition SYRIZA party said on Monday.

“History is written through the people’s struggles. The October 28, 1940 and the epic of the Resistance are the greatest proof of the power that people have when they get organized and fight for their rights and independence. No enemy is strong enough, no difficulty is insurmountable before the popular will that is expressed in a collective and organized way,” it said.

"Greeks today remember and honour one of the brightest pages in our history, the epic of the 1940 ‘OHI’ (‘No’), which was much more than the repelling of an intruder," Government Vice-President and PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos said on Monday.

“Thanks to the sacrifices of the Greek people, our country again emerges from the ordeal still standing on its feet as we have walked the longest part for the permanent and safe exit of our country from the crisis,” he said.