The Greek government spokesman, Pavlos Marinakis, addressed criticisms of state broadcaster ERT’s annual New Year’s Eve broadcast from Syntagma Square, defending the tradition. He commented on the recently aired sketch that featured the PASOK symbol, suggesting that if a mayor from the New Democracy party had done something similar, there would be significant media focus. Marinakis also called out perceived hypocrisy regarding expressions of support for Palestine without recognizing civilian casualties in other conflicts, emphasizing the equal value of all lives lost.