NEWARK, NJ – U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued this statement in celebration of “OXI Day” on October 28th.
“Today, I join millions of Greeks and Cypriots around the world to mark the 74th anniversary of OXI Day. On this day in 1940, Greek leader Ioannis Metaxas said OXI, or NO, to Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and his demand to take up strategic positions inside Greek sovereign territory. By proudly resisting occupation by Italy and the Axis Powers, Greece entered into World War Two on the side of the Allies, ultimately affecting the trajectory of the war, ” said Chairman Menendez. “We honor this pivotal moment in Greece’s history, as well as the enduring strength of Hellenic values, as men and women around the world continue to fight for the democratic ideals that have endured as a result of Greek defiance 74 years ago.”
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