Gorgopotamos bridge blow up 81 years ago commemorated at site; Staikouras attends

The blowing up of the bridge 81 years ago made it hard for the Italian and German occupation armies to send supplies between the north and south of Greece, as trains had to cross the bridge over the river of Gorgopotamos.

Despite the low temperatures, a lot of descendants of resistance fighters attended, with a few surviving resistance members.

Infrastructure & Transport Minister Christos Staikouras, a deputy of the region of Fthiotida, represented the government and in his address referred to the messages of unity that brought together the two resistance groups of Aris Velouchiotis and Napoleon Zervas to collaborate with British saboteurs, who planned the bridge's destruction.

Staikouras spoke of the spirit and self-sacrifice of resistance fighters, and underlined the need for national unity at these times of geopolital developments in the wider region. The unity at Gorgopotamos, he said, served as an example "of the path we must follow as a country, a political system, as citizens," particularly before the many external challenges Greece faces in the geopolitical, economic, health, and energy spheres.

Representatives of all parties and resistance organizations attended the event and delivered speeches. Messages were also delivered by representatives of the Greek president, the British embassy, the mayor of nearby Lamia, and the deputy regional governor. The event concluded with the laying of wreaths at the local monument.

Commemorative events continued with a walk following the path the resistance fighters took to the bridge, while the Museum of National Resistance in Lamia was expected to remain open until late on Sunday for visits.

On Monday and Tuesday, school groups will be given tours of the museum above and that of the Museum of Contemporary History of Lamia, with photographs and original material on the national resistance in Central Greece.