Despina Vandi refused to perform in Turkey because of Ataturk's portrait on stage

Popular Greek singer Despina Vandi refused to perform at a concert in the Turkish city of Cesme because a poster of the founder of the modern Turkish state, Kemal Ataturk, was hanging on the stage. According to Vandi, for her, Ataturk is the executioner of the Greek people.

Despina Vandi did not appear on stage

According to Turkish television channel NTV, Despina Vandi was supposed to sing at a charity concert organized by the Turkish Education Foundation (TEV). The president of the foundation's Izmir branch, Gülnur Sonbayraktar, took the stage and announced that the Greek singer would not perform and that the ticket price would be refunded to those who wanted it. Then, Cesme Mayor Lal Denizli spoke up, stating that Despina Vandi did not go on stage, “because she wants the Turkish flag and Ataturk poster to be lowered”The mayor asked viewers not to “boo” singer, because “she's one of those people you shouldn't waste your breath on”.

The Turkish flag and Ataturk caused indigestion in Greek singer Despina Vandi. She did not appear on stage during a concert in Cesme. It was stated that the artist demanded that the Turkish flag and Ataturk poster on stage be removed before the concert. Cesme Mayor Lal Denizli asked the singer to leave the city, to which she reacted harshly.

“We have sacrificed many martyrs to conquer these lands, and we are the people who believe that brotherhood and eternal friendship will always win. No force can dare to remove our flag and Ataturk's portrait. This lady must leave the confines of this city immediately. Peacefully and calmly.”“, the mayor said, adding that it would never occur to anyone in a foreign country to demand that the flag of that country be removed.

Instagram.

Despina Vandi (@desp1navandi)

Reply by Despina Vandi

Despina Vandi, in her Instagram post, said that TEV (Turkish Education Foundation) bears full responsibility for the incident because “unilaterally decided to change the nature of the event as a concert and gave it a political character, although we had not agreed on anything like that. Therefore, my participation in the concert was impossible.”

The famous Greek singer stressed in her statements to the media that she would never sing in front of a photograph of the killer of Greeks, emphasizing: “It would be an insult to historical memory for any Greek artist to perform at an event with a giant poster of Kemal Ataturk's flag in the background. Especially on the 50th anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus.”

Despina Vandi decided to cancel her concert in Izmir last Wednesday evening because, according to Turkish media, a banner with the flag of Kemal Ataturk was hung at the concert venue. In a statement made to the channel on Thursday (18/07) OpenDespina Vandi said: “I would never sing in front of a photo of a murderer of Greeks. I asked for his photo to be removed and for a Greek flag to be put in its place next to the Turkish one.”

“We left with security”

Evgenia Liakou, the singer who collaborates with Despina Vandi at her concerts, spoke to the media earlier and told about everything that happened in Turkey before the planned performance, as well as after the Greek singer announced her departure. Despina Vandi refused to go on stage because banners and posters with Kemal Ataturk and the Turkish flag were hung on it.

While Eugenia Liaku was speaking on “Summer’s Cool,” the mayor of Cesme addressed the Turkish audience, saying: “I don't think it's worth getting tired and wasting your breath.”.

“We had a show in the Turkish city of Cesme with an educational institution in the country. We got there, they set up the stage, and by the time we got to soundcheck with the band, there were banners hanging backstage, – says Liaku. – We asked if it was for our concert or something else. They discussed it a little bit, like, okay, Despina is going to do a pop concert, a folk concert, his own concert. It won't have any subtext, they didn't agree on that. The stage is usually clear. It was a very big poster. It was a poster of Kemal and the Turkish flag. We were waiting in the dressing room to go out, and they told us that we wouldn't go on stage.”she added.

As she said later, they left the room with protection. “We went out with security because after that the mayor started talking a little bit harshly and people were upset. They escorted us out and we went back to the hotel. Despina Vandi left right away, we left today. We are fine.” Finally, she explained how the incident affected her, stressing that the concert should not turn into a political event. “I'm sad that this happened because people came to listen to music. It’s not good when a concert turns into a political event.”

Turks bully actress on social media

• “Do you know how to swim? Ataturk taught your ancestors. How dare you disturb the founder of the country you come from? Corrupt enemies flee like the wind. Long live Mustafa Kemal Pasha. ??❤️.”
• “The fact that you feel uncomfortable with the image of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the country you want to lecture on, the fact that you do not know how important its founder is for the country, the leader whose name is given to streets in different countries of the world, to whom statues are erected, who is respected all over the world, who is put on the cover of The Times magazine as “the leader of the century” – this is the clearest proof of how ignorant and superficial you are in your profession. Please do not come to our country anymore. Because we, Turks, are a society that protects its culture and expects equal respect from everyone. We recommend that you learn more about us before coming and singing. ??”
• “If you feel uncomfortable, don't come to Turkey, and if you do, don't raise your voice ?????????”
• “Did the Turkish flag and Ataturk bother you???? Long live Mustafa Kemal Ataturk??????”
• “We are Ataturk's soldiers…. Happy to be a Turk….”
• “Don't even think about returning to Turkey!”
• “Who are you please? MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATURK is a legend and a true leader, obviously something you will never become!!! His name will be remembered forever, and yours will be forgotten faster than you think ??????”.”???? MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK ????””Leave Turkey”
• “Apologize to the Turkish people immediately. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and our flag are our red line, our most sensitive point.” “?????????? What are you doing in a country if you don't feel so comfortable with a flag?”
• “Go away homeeeeeeeee????????????????????”
• “Glad we threw you overboard from Smyrna!!! ????????????MUSTAFA KEMAL ATATÜRK❤️”
• “They were thrown overboard and they still can't recover, bravo ??????”
• “Do you want to swim again like your fathers?????????????????????”
• “My ancestor said for a reason: 'They will leave as they came'… ??????????????????”.

Greeks supported their compatriot on the X network

Konserde sadece Mustafa Kemal posterinin indirilmesini isteyen Despina Vandi : O bizim için Helenlerin kasabıdırhttps://t.co/vDz20tPVg8

— Pontos Gerçeği (@PGercegi) July 19, 2024

Despina Vandi asked that only the poster with Mustafa Kemal's image be removed from the concert: for us he is the butcher of the Hellenes

? ν κίνηση αυτή, καθώς, επίσης, εκφράζουμε και την στήριξή μας προς εκείνη για την επίθεση που εξαπέλυσαν τα τουρκικά μέσα. Άλλωστε, η επίθεση αυτή από μόνη της δηλώνει πολλά…

— Ένωση Ποντιακής Νεολαίας Αττικής – Ε.Πο.Ν.Α. (@eponaGR) July 19, 2024

We welcome Despina Vandi's decision and congratulate her on this step, and we also express our support to her in connection with the attack launched by the Turkish media. After all, this attack itself speaks volumes…

Ο ηρωϊσμός δεν σχετίζεται με την πανοπλία, αλλά με το ψυχικό σθένος
Τι σχέση θα μπορούσαν να έχουν εθνικά σύμβολα με την καλλιτεχνική εκδ ήλωση;
Τα έβαλαν μόνον για να πικάρουν.
Στο πρόσωπο της Δέσποινας Βανδή, δεν βρήκαν άνθρωπο που θα τα ανεχόταν.
Μπράβο ηρωΐδα μας. https://t.co/gBu6OiRz4s

— Georgios Mantratzis (@gmantratzis) July 19, 2024

Heroism is not armor, but spiritual fortitude. What relation can national symbols have to an artistic event? They were put there out of spite. Despina Vandi was not the kind of person who would have tolerated it. Well done, our heroine.

Χίλια μπράβο της!

(? φωτογραφία κάτω απ´το πορτραίτο του Κεμάλ.)🤡

? μάλ είναι σφαγέας των Ελλήνων” https://t.co/uBN1PcSb8e

— denizen (@denizen42) July 18, 2024

A thousand bravos! (Mitsotakis sends Mendoni to take another smiling photo under Kemal's portrait). Despina Vandi's review of the concert in Cesme: “For me, Kemal is the butcher of the Greeks.”

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