Event at foreign ministry for pandemic-stricken Italy; parliament to fly Italian flag, display its colours

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An event in support of the Italian people, who have been deeply stricken by the coronavirus pandemic, was held on Friday at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Athens, in the presence of Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias and the Italian Ambassador to Greece Luigi Marras, as well as the president of the Greek parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas.

During the event, Dendias referred to “an expression of love, solidarity and support for the Italian people, a people who are a close friend of Greece and have been tested as no other by the pandemic.”

“I expressed to the Italian envoy the deep sorrow of the Greek government, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Greek people over the loss of so many people’s lives in the friend-country, Italy. I also expressed the admiration of all Greeks for the courageous way in which the Italian people, from the ordinary citizen to the – especially beloved in Greece – President [Sergio] Matarrella, are fighting this battle,” Dendias said.
Greece, said Dendias, wants to send a message of optimism from the foreign ministry and the Greek parliament to the Italians, and intends to do the same in the next days for the Spanish people.

The Greek parliament will raise the Italian flag and, following its president’s decision, the building will be illuminated with the colours of the Italian flag for three consecutive days.

“In coordination with my Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio, we are doing everything possible to actively assist Italy in this tragic situation for us all,” added Dendias.

On his part, the Italian envoy said: “We will not forget this important symbolic gesture of solidarity that sees our flags united. A gesture of mourning for the many that have died and also a gesture of compassion for the tragedy their relatives are going through. A gesture that gives courage to those that hover between life and death and all those struggling to save them. To all those that are making huge sacrifices to keep the key sectors in our countries going.”

Marras also urged the Greeks to strictly adhere to the clear, direct and sensible instructions of their government.

La #Grecia al fianco del popolo italiano provato dalla pandemia -La bandiera 🇮🇹 issata sul palazzo del Ministero degli Affari Esteri alla presenza del Min.@NikosDendias, del VM @MVarvitsiotis, del Presidente del Parlamento K.Tasoulas & dell’Amb. E.Marras@ItalyMFA @ItalyinGreece https://t.co/BJmIXwS3yj

— Υπουργείο Εξωτερικών (@GreeceMFA) April 3, 2020

Source: ANA-MPA

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