Greek singer Despina Vandi declined to perform at a charity concert in Cesme, Turkey, after refusing to appear on a stage adorned with the Turkish flag and a portrait of the country’s founder, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. The 54-year-old singer’s request to remove the flag and poster was denied, leading her to decide not to perform, as reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency. This incident occurred amid efforts by Turkish and Greek leaders to improve their relations.
Vandi took to Instagram to express her gratitude to the audience for attending her concert but criticized the organizers, the Turkish Education Foundation, for turning the event into a politically charged occasion without her consent. As a result, she stated that her participation in the event was not viable.
Upon learning the reason for Vandi’s absence, the disappointed audience in Cesme’s open-air amphitheater reportedly booed. Cesme Mayor Lal Denizli was quoted by Anadolu Agency as stating, “There is no power that can make us bring down our flag or Ataturk’s poster,” and urged the crowd not to boo, suggesting that Vandi should leave the town immediately.
The strained relationship between Turkey and Greece, characterized by decades of disputes including territorial conflicts, has brought the countries close to war on three occasions in the last fifty years. Despite the historical tensions, the leaders of both nations have engaged in multiple meetings over the past year to work towards normalizing their relations.
According to the Sozcu newspaper, many spectators remained to watch a choir performance that was planned to accompany Vandi, and even joined the choir in singing a patriotic Turkish anthem after the incident.
