Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard joined representatives of the Greek community in Sunday’s Greek Independence March in Sydney. Ms Gillard, along with environment minister Tony Burke, opposition immigration spokesman Scott Morrison, NSW Liberal MP David Clarke and NSW opposition leader John Robertson were all at The Domain for the occasion, along with an Archbishop of the Greek Orthodox Church, the Cypriot high commissioner and the president of the NSW Greek Orthodox community. They joined thousands to celebrate Greece’s independence from the Ottoman Empire.
In a statement to Neos Kosmos on the national day of Greece celebrations, the prime minister said that MArch 25 is a day that “we honour the courage and sacrifice of those who fought for Greek independence and all those who have worked so hard to build Greece as a country which has withstood many challenges yet has never lost its soul”.
She added that “in 2003, it is true that Greece still faces difficult times but I know the Greek people’s sense of pride and stoicism will see the country through towards better days ahead”.
Read more in this Saturday’s English edition