Completely different from what Athenians have seen so far will be this year’s military parade in celebration of the Greek Independence Day on March 25. The first parade to take place under the leftist SYRIZA-led government will remind nothing of the ones organized in previous years, since the honorary parade will be combined with various parallel events, including traditional Greek songs and dances in the Greek capital’s downtown Syntagma Square. According to National Defense Minister and junior coalition government partner Independent Greeks (ANEL) leader Panos Kammenos, the celebrations will have the character of a popular event. Kammenos called Athenians to take part in the celebrations in what he characterized as a demonstration-like event. The happenings were decided in a meeting held earlier today between Kammenos and Attica Region Governor Rena Dourou. As decided, the three military bands will remain at the Square after the parade and play Greek folk songs. At the same time, dance clubs from across Greece, dressed in traditional clothes, will also take part in the big celebration. Earlier, Greek flags will be handed to the crowd who will be mixed with state and army officials, as no railings nor an elevated platform for officials will be installed. Last week, the Greek National Defense Minister said the parade will include two National Guard battalions from the border region of Evros and the Dodecanese islands. Flights of Armed Forces aircraft and helicopters are part of the staff training program and as such, they will not burden the budget, he explained.
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