SYRIZA on Florina incident: “No attempt at censorship will be tolerated”

SYRIZA–Progressive Alliance (SYRIZA-PS) has expressed strong opposition to what it described as an unacceptable act of censorship against artistic expression in the city of Florina.

The statement follows the interruption of a concert by the mayor of Florina after the well-known band Banda Entopica performed a song in a Slavic language. In its announcement, SYRIZA said that the band’s public post regarding the disruption of its performance by Mayor Vasilis Giannakis—along with objections raised by a small number of attendees—raises serious concerns about freedom of artistic expression and how it is treated, particularly by those holding positions of power.

“Especially troubling,” the party noted, “is the fact that such actions come from individuals exercising authority, and indeed within the sensitive and democratic sphere of local government.”

SYRIZA condemned what it called intolerant outbursts, describing them as inappropriate, unacceptable, and harmful to the necessary solidarity among different people and nations. The party stressed that the incident occurred during a musical performance by a group widely known for singing in multiple languages, including Greek, Slavic, Bulgarian, Turkish, Serbian, and Romani.

The statement also highlighted that the band felt compelled to clarify that its performance was not funded by the mayor, responding to comments made by him on the night of the incident such as “I pay” and “In my city, you will not sing such songs.”

Concluding its statement, SYRIZA–PS emphasized that no attempt at censorship should be allowed to take root and none will be tolerated.