The Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece (P.P.F.G.) expresses its strong opposition to the decision of the Municipality of Thessaloniki to name a park after Giannis Boutaris.

As the P.P.F.G. notes, “its position is not random, but is based on the deceased’s public statements over time, which severely offended the historical memory and dignity of the Pontic Hellenism, challenging the very genocide of our ancestors.”

“The acceptance of such an honor for individuals who have hurt the national sentiments of Pontic Greeks finds us opposed. We call on the municipal administration to respect historical truth and the feelings of hundreds of thousands of refugees in the metropolitan area of Thessaloniki,” the Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece emphasizes in its statement.

It has also sent a letter to the mayor of the city, Stelios Angeloudis, as well as to members of the Thessaloniki Municipal Council, requesting that the decision on the naming not be implemented.

Letter of the Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece

Thessaloniki, 30/4/2026
Ref. No.: 13795

To: The Mayor of Thessaloniki, Mr. Stelios Angeloudis

President of the Thessaloniki Municipal Council, Mr. Spyros Vougas

SUBJECT: Historical memory is not subject to statute of limitations – categorical opposition to the proposal to name a park after Giannis Boutaris

Please bring this to the attention of the Municipal Council at its meeting to be held today, Thursday, April 30, 2026.

Dear Sirs,

The Pan-Pontian Federation of Greece expresses its categorical, clear, and non-negotiable opposition to the proposal to name a municipal space in honor of the late Giannis Boutaris.

Our position is not political. It is deeply historical, national, and moral. It is rooted in collective memory, in the pain, and in the responsibility toward our ancestors who were exterminated during the Genocide of the Greeks of Pontus.

We respect the memory of every person. However, the public life and actions of an elected official cannot be separated from the judgment of society. For Pontic Hellenism, the tenure of this particular individual does not represent merely a period of administration, but an open and profound insult to our historical memory.

The refusal to grant permission for the use of Agia Sofia Square for the annual May 19 commemoration event cannot be forgotten. That decision was not neutral. It was an act with strong symbolic weight, which undermined the pain of refugee families and offended the memory of our 353,000 genocided ancestors.

Even more serious and deeply offensive were his public statements regarding Mustafa Kemal. His statement that “it does not matter to him whether Kemal was a murderer or not,” as well as his reference to him as a “leader of exceptional stature,” are not merely personal opinions, but positions that directly insult the memory of a people who suffered persecution, massacres, and uprooting.

Particular indignation is caused by the attempt to relativize historical reality through the statement that “we have created a myth about Kemal.” For us, this is not a myth. It is historical experience, documented and lived through generations.

In 2006, Giannis Boutaris proposed renaming Apostolou Pavlou Street (near Kemal’s alleged house) to “Kemal Atatürk Street,” a proposal that clearly reflects his perception and stance toward persons and events with heavy historical significance for Hellenism.

At the same time, the logic that historical memory can be set aside in the name of tourism development or attracting visitors, and the promotion of the idea that such approaches “ease tensions,” constitute a dangerous downgrading of historical truth and deeply insult our collective identity.

Thessaloniki is not a neutral city. It is the city of refugees, of the uprooted, of memory. And this memory cannot be negotiated or equated within a vague “historical neutrality.”

The naming of a public space is an act of the highest symbolism. It is not a simple administrative decision. It is a public honor. And public honor requires respect for, not injury to, the historical consciousness of citizens.

For all the above reasons, we call on the Municipal Council to consider the moral weight of the decision and not proceed with a choice that will become a source of division and deep offense for thousands of our fellow citizens.

Historical memory is not negotiable.
It is not subject to offsetting.
It does not expire.

Respectfully,
For the Board of Directors

The President
Georgios Varythymiades

The General Secretary
Athina Sotiropoulou