[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 55 (Friday, March 24, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S4530]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                      GREEK INDEPENDENCE DAY 1995

  Mr. LIEBERMAN. Mr. President, tomorrow marks the 174th anniversary of 
the opening of the struggle by the Greek people for independence from 
the Ottoman Empire. I am honored to be a sponsor of the resolution 
designating tomorrow, March 25, 1995, as Greek Independence Day: A 
National Day of Celebration of Greek and American Democracy.
  Greek Independence Day celebrates the independence the Greek people 
achieved after almost 400 years of foreign control. In all those years 
of domination and repression, the people of Greece retained their 
passion for democracy. This passion is alive and well today.
  The United States and Greece have a long history of shared democratic 
ideals and beliefs, when our Founding Fathers designed the American 
form of government, they took inspiration from the democratic 
traditions of ancient Greece. Later, Greek patriots in the struggle 
against the Ottoman Sultan followed the example of the American 
Revolution in their fight for freedom and their efforts to design their 
new government.
  In this century, Greece has been an outstanding ally and leader in 
the fight for democracy; 9 percent of all Greeks, gave their lives to 
help stop the tyranny of Hitler. Together Greece and the United States 
fought against communism throughout the cold war and together we must 
work to solve the problems of the post-cold-war era.
  On this special occasion, it is fitting to pay tribute to all the 
contributions that the Greek people have made to American life, both as 
valuable members of our own society and as members of a nation that was 
the birthplace of democracy.


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