President of the Republic Karolos Papoulias and Prime Minister Antonis Samaras arrive in Thessaloniki on Friday for celebrations marking the 100th anniversary of the city's liberation from Ottoman rule. They attended a doxology in the morning at the church of Aghios Dimitrios (St. Demetrios), the city's patron saint, whose feast day is celebrated on October 26 (Friday). Afterwards they visited the Ministry of Macedonia-Thrace, where Papoulias inaugurated an exhibition of "Heirlooms of the Liberation 1912-1913" and "Celebration of the Flag: In the footsteps of the liberators", while Samaras and Macedonia-Thrace Minister Theodoros Karaoglou addressed the inauguration ceremony.
The October 28 "OXI Day" national holiday commemorates the anniversary of Greece's resounding "ochi" (no) to then Italian dictator Mussolini's demand for free passage to invade Greece during World War II, which brought Greece into the war on the Allied side. On Oct. 28, 1940, fascist Italy presented Greece with the ultimatum, but Greek leader Ioannis Metaxas tersely refused, and the country not only denied Mussolini's forces free passage, it went on the offensive in mid-November and drove the opposing forces back through part of southern Albania. The main military parade is traditionally held in Thessaloniki, while student parades are held in Athens and the rest of the country.
The three-day events in Thessaloniki marking the triple celebration of St. Demetrios' feast day, the 97th anniversary of the city's liberation from Ottoman rule, and the October 28 OXI Day national holiday.
On Saturday morning, Papoulias attended the Celebration of the Flat at the Thessaloniki Officers' Club, where he handed over the flat of the 100 years of the liberation of Thessaloniki and Macedonia to the head officer of local division of the Evzones (Presidential Guard), which was then be hoisted at the top of the White Tower.
On Sunday morning Papoulias will attend the military parade marking the October 28 OXI Day national holiday, after which he will depart for Athens. Defence minister Panos Panagiotopoulos, who is already in Thessaloniki where he will escort the President to the three-day events, is holding talks with the city authorities.
Also in Thessaloniki were Independent Greeks leader Panos Kammenos.
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