The annual March 25 festivities marking Greek Independence Day and the Feast of the Annunciation will be different to what Greeks are used to. The ‘alternative’ festivities will resemble a Balkan feast with a number of parallel events that include Greek traditional songs and dances in downtown Syntagma.

On the one hand, there will be the military parade that Greeks are used to with the army and navy marching by while jets zoom above. This time, however, there will be no special stand for VIPs who will be invited to stand with the crowd. The move to abolish the elevated plastform is a symbolic gesture that aims to show that times have changed with politicians standing side-by-side with the people rather than shut off in a comfortable cocoon. In past years, the public has even been banned from such events. This year, however, is different. It is the first Radical Left Coalition parade that aims to turn the focus from war to peace and gaiety in an atmosphere of burlesque similar to those found in the films of Emir Kusturica.

Thousands of blue and white flags will be given to the crowds to wave during the march. At the end of the event, the 90-membered military bands will remain and play music as dance clubs from around Greece will entertain people.

Sources told Proto Thema that tehre were talks with members from the Varvakeio Market of the possibility of setting up barbeques for free food in the area, however the idea was soon abandoned due to the fear that miserable lines of Greece’s hungry residents would turn the festivities to a rush for food. Furthermore, the Greek Orthodox church had objected to the barbeque as it would fall in the middle of the Lenten period. The idea of giving out cod fish and skordalia (garlic dip) traditionally eaten on this day was also abandoned due to the huge cost that this would entail.

Criticism

Independent Greeks (ANEL) Defence Minister Panos Kammenos and Attica Region’s Radical Left Coalition (SYRIZA) Prefect Rena Dourou are solely resopnsible for the design and coordination of the National Day festivities. Groups against military parades were quick to liken the festivities to those of Greece’s military junta, however SYRIZA was quick to answer that the junta only danced “tsamika”.

Centrist Potami Leader Stavros Thoeodrakis and the socialist PASOK groups were quick to criticize SYRIZA’s decision to give right-wing ANEL the responsibility of organizing the event. Kammenos advised Theodorakis to not attend the celebrations. On her part, ANEL Spokeswoman Marina Chrysoveloni pointed to “PASOK’s moral stoop. They are bothered by the idea of military and student parades, but they weren’t worried about the humanitarian crisis and the countless victims as a result of a countries subserviance to memorandums.”

What is March 25?