ATHENS – Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday attended the inauguration of the restored historic flower shops outside Parliament. Mitsotakis was given a tour by Parliament President Konstantinos Tasoulas, Culture Minister Lina Mendoni and the CEO of Hellenic Public Properties Co Stefanos Vlastos.

The premier visited the revamped area, where works from the collection published by the Hellenic Parliament Foundation are also on sale, and expressed his satisfacion that a part of the historic memory of the city was restored.

“It is probably symbolic of the country’s course in the last decade, the fact that today the flower shops open again after 12 years of remaining closed but with a different identity; not only as flower shops but also as places of culture, by hosting the exquisite exhibits of the [Hellenic Organization of Cultural Resources Development], along with the extremely rich cultural and historic production of the Greek Parliament,” Mitsotakis said.

“Today, is a colourful day for Athens, it is a day of happiness and I believe that all the citizens of Athens and its numerous visitors will appreciate the fact that we once again have an area which is linked with the historic memory and the collective subconscious of all Athenians,” he said.

The historic course of the parliament flowers shops began in 1932, with the first flower stalls appeared after the construction of the Unknown Soldier Monument in front of the Hellenic Parliament. Later, 11 permanent flower shops were housed beneath the parliament forecourt and over time they became a landmark in the centre of Athens.