Melina Mercouri Loses Citizenship

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31421, 14 July 1967, Page 9

Melina Mercouri Loses Citizenship

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) ATHENS, July 13. The Army-led Greek Government today stripped eight Greeks—including the movie actress, Melina Mercouri—of their citizenship for alleged anti-national activities, the Associated Press reported.

This was announced by the Interior Minister, Brigadier Stylianos Patakos, a leading member of the ruling junta. Brigadier Patakos told reporters at a briefing tonight that he had signed a decision depriving all eight of their Greek citizenship or “acting anti-nationally.” In New York, Miss Mercouri commented: “I was bom a Greek. I will die a Greek. Mr Patakos was bom a Fascist He will die a Fascist “If he wants to make out of me a Joan of Arc, that is his privilege. “As there is a dictatorship in Greece he can make any law that he likes but I consider him an outlaw.”

Miss Mercouri, the wife of the film director Jules Dessin, was the star of the movie, “Never on Sunday.” The story is set on a Greek island and has a number of Greek songs. She is at present starring in the stage version, “Hly Darling.” “Every day it is very difficult for me to sing about gaiety in Greece and the joy of Greece,” she said. “It is a wounded country ... a wounded country.” Miss Mercouri expressed confidence that “my country will be free again one day.” “And then,” she said, “we will all have a party. Greece wilt have a big, big party.” It also decided to confiscate their properties in Greece.