Celebrating Democracy in Greece

(GREEK NEWS AGENDA)  The 35th anniversary of the restoration of democracy in Greece, after the collapse of the 7-year military dictatorship, was celebrated on Friday, July 24, at the Presidential Mansion. It was hosted by President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and attended by the country’s political and military leadership as well as 1,200 guests, some 700 of whom participated in the resistance movement during the junta years. In his address, President Papoulias said that every such anniversary demands contemplation and vision for the future. He added that the celebration of this specific anniversary was “a choice that proves deep respect for all those who struggled against the dictatorship,” adding that lavish affairs and receptions were incompatible with the spirit of the struggle against the dictatorship. Referring to the resistance movement, Papoulias noted that it is the most powerful proof that “there is beauty and magnificence in Greek society,” and “the struggles of the Greek people are the nucleus of an optimism that gives rise to creative forces, casts off defeatism, and brings the aura of a better tomorrow.” (Photo: Constantine Karamanlis returns to Athens on July 24, 1974 with the mission to restore democracy)