Leftist SYRIZA MP Makis Balaouras criticised the Greek state for continuing to adopt the tradition of receiving the Holy Fire from Jerusalem during Easter as a head of state. “An object, the fire, the Holy Fire arrives. It is something that does not happen in a civilised state”, he said in Greek parliament. The PM dubbed it a remnant of a pagan era during his speech. “It is not a head of state and therefore should be received with state funds”, he underlined. “Is the Vatican doing anything like it? Is England, Germany doing the same?”, he quipped, adding that the light should be transported as it deserves to, but not as a head of state. Each Easter the Greek state receives the Holy Fire from Jerusalem as a head of state.