Responding to the controversial statements made by Thessaloniki’s Bishop, Anthimos, on the upcoming Gay Pride festival to be held in the city on Friday and Saturday, Thessaloniki’s re-elected Mayor Yiannis Boutaris attempted a diplomatic approach. “We see eye to eye on many issues with the bishop and we have a very good cooperation. On other issues, we just don’t share the same view and we don’t cooperate”, Boutaris said.

The Bishop referred to homosexuality as a “perversion of the human existence” and stormed against the annual Pride festival as a “disgrace”.