Greece marks Independence Day, President speaks out against racism

Greece marked on Monday the 198th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence on March 25, 1821 against the 400-year Ottoman rule with a customary military parade in the center of Athens.

Soldiers and mechanized units of the Greek Armed Forces paraded in front of the Parliament building, military jets flew and helicopters hovered over the crowd as people were cheering and waving Greek national flags.

In his message for the day, President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, who attended the parade in Athens, urged Greeks to continue defending freedom, friendship and cooperation among nations.

"Our ancestors fought for freedom for every man, because for Greeks freedom is an integral part of human beings. Therefore, today we fight for all peoples' freedom beyond our borders. This is very important concerning our big European family ahead of the upcoming...