Miss Greece’s solidarity with Palestine angers local organizers
Athens (QNN)- After voicing her support and solidarity with the people of Palestine, Miss Greece, Rafaela Plastira, has been under fire by the organizers of the pageant in her country, who accused her of not being supposed to participate in the Miss Universe pageant in the occupation state at all.
On Thursday, a statement by Giorgos Kouvaris, president of Star & Mr GS Hellas, the organizer of Miss Greece pageant, said: “Regarding the issue of Rafael Plastira’s departure from Miss Universe 2021, in which the Palestinian issue was cited, it is all false.”
“Rafaela Plastira is Star Hellas 2019 and is her only title; she never had the official anointing to represent our country in Miss Universe 2021, as Miss Universe Greece.”
“The only woman who was ever eligible to compete this year at Miss Universe is Miss Universe Greece 2021 Sofia Arapogianni. She was crowned earlier this year and will be competing next month in Israel,” the statement continued.
Rafaela Plastira had announced on her Instagram account that she will boycott the Miss Universe pageant, citing Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people. Star & Mr GS Hellas remained silent during to months after Plastira’s announcement and only commented on it recently.
Two weeks ago, the organizer of the Miss Greece pageant said that Sofia Arapogianni has been named as Greece’s new representative to the upcoming 70th Miss Universe competition in ‘Eilat’, an Israeli city built on the ruins of displaced Palestinian villages.
