english french german greek italian lithuanian russian serbian spanish
Home arrow newsitems arrow Anti-Corruption + pro-EU, Greek former Prime Minister dies, leaving Key+Topical European Legacy

Anti-Corruption + pro-EU, Greek former Prime Minister dies, leaving Key+Topical European Legacy

RTF PDF Print Email
Written by ACM
Monday, 29 May 2017

 mitsotakis_greetings_and_thanks_to_his_father_400

*Strasbourg/Angelo Marcopolo/- Former Prime Minister Constantin Mitsotakis who died nowadays in Greece, leaves a Legacy whose real main points are, in fact, both of Historic value, as well as much More Topical and "Spicy" than most Establishment's members would dare acknowledge, despite several routine hommages, etc., filling the mainstream Medias Today as far as he's concerned.

The most Important is that CM served as Prime Minister of an exceptional Government almost of "National Unity", which associated Together almost All Political Parties, (from his own, Center-Right ChristianDemocrats/EPP of "New Democracy", up to ...even the "Communist" Party, included, etc), Focused mainly in the Fight against Corruption, which had become a Vital Necessity, already back on 1990-1993, after a Decade of "Socialist" PASOK's former Governments during the Eighties, which had been notoriously filled by a Growing Series of big Scandals about Money, massive Clientelism, Cronyism, Oppression and abuses against Dissidents, even elimination of some critics or investigators, etc.                                                        

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                In fact, that infamous Big "DEBT", which still Hampers EU Member Greece Today, bothers all Europe, and Risked to provoke even a Euro-Zone's Crisis, often exploited by some Foreign Anti-European forces in order to attempt to Undermine and/or Slander the European Integration process, hade Started since that Crucial Period, i.e. from 1981 onwards. I was mainly due to former "PASOK" Governments excessive Clientelistic abuses, which brought a Huge, DisProportional Number of counter-productive Cushy Job Holders into the payroll of the State and the wider Public Sector, far Beyond what its thin Economic productive basis could support.


This was notoriously Hidden, Disguised under a Goldman Sachs' SWAP, through 1998 - 2002, i.e. when Greece entered EuroZone, even UnPrepared, in exchange of Accepting Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, pushed by Clinton, Blair, Jospin and Schroeder, Alema, etc. (all Socialists) then. Only to notoriously "Explode", at the latest, on 2009, in the middle of a Global Financial Crisis, when the accumulated Huge Debt thrown over Greece became inevitably obvious, provoking an original Shock.


But the Anti-Corruption new Governemental Coalition of 1990, was Forced to Interrupt its work, only a Few Years later, from 1993-1994, since, as an indirect consequence of the former Yugoslavia Conflicts, the Socialists of "PASOK" exploited the aftermath of Yugoslavia's Break up, in order to Hide behind a neo-Nationalist reaction as far as FYROM's provocative claims were concerned, topling that 3 Years-long, exceptional, quasi-National Unity Government.

 

constantin_mitsotakis_on_1990_spring_ap_archives_photo_400


If it had been let Free to normaly pursue its main, Anti-Corruption aim to Investigate, Reveal and Punish all Scandals and serious Abuses committed by former "PASOK" Governments and their cronies during the 1980ies, it might have played a really precious and much needed, Historic role, in unveiling various Crimes and bringing those responsible to Justice, as well as in Preventing the subsequent considerable Worsening of that Hidden "Debt" Crisis which was later exploited by some Foreign Networks, as a "weak point" in EU Integration, in attempts to Undermine all Europe, (Comp. Supra).


That exceptional, 1990-1993 quasi-National Unity Government had already kick-Started a necessary Reduction of the DisProportioante Number of Civil Servants, after a Decade of Massive, Costly and CounterProductive Clientelism by fromer "PASOK" Governments during the 1980ies, but this effort was cut short too soon.


-----------------------------------


Constantin Mitsotakis was known for his support to EU's "Copenhagen Critera", (adopted bck on 1991, i.e. during his term in office), which should be respected by each 3rd Country wishing to become Candidate for EU Accession. It's mainly about Conditions related to Human Rights' respect, Democratic principles and Rule of Law, (which, if they were really applied, would have, f.ex., prevented Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU bid, Sparing to Europe all those Troubles which were provoked precisely because those Copenhagen Criteria weren't seriously used in that case).


He also launched Greece's moves in order to join the Shenghen area, after supervising its entry into the EU itself.


Last, but not least, it's during Constantin Mitsotakis' Government that Cyprus lodged an official Application, back on 1990, in order to become EU Member, (something which was Achieved on 2004). It was a kind of ...Kopernician Revolution, since Cyprus' geopolitical Strategy, until then, had been much more Focused on the initial "Non-Aligned" Movement, dating from the Earlier, DeColonisation Period, marked by ArchiBishop Makarios, Naser, U Thant, Sukarno, King Hasan II, Burgiba, Zhou Enlai, Ho Chi Minh, Tito, Castro, Assad, Boumedien, Gandi and Nehru (India), etc, which represented, at a moment, about 2/3 of UNO's Member States, opposed to the Cold War Division. Strategicaly located Islands of Cyprus and Malta, subsequently left the NAM and made a pro-European U-Turn, aligning themselves with the EU.


------------------


The President of ChristianDemocrat/EPP Parties, Joseph Daul, experienced former long-time Chairman of EU Parliament's ChristianDmocrat/EPP Group and Strasbourg's MEP, hailed "a Visionary Leader", speaking of Constantin Mitsotakis' death. EU Commission's President, Jean-Claude Juncker, experienced former Long-Time Prime Minister of Luxembourg and Euro-Group's Chairman, called C.M. a "European" and "Emblematic Figure", whose "Life was associated with important moments of EU integration".


Inter alia, it's also German mainstream Medias such as "Zeit", "FAZ", "Welt", etc., as well as Austrian "Die Presse" and Swiss "NZZ", French "Le Monde", American "AP" and "Bloomberg" Press Agency, "NYT", etc., which Published relevant articles.

 

The former Prime Minister had been reportedly Condemned by the NAZI Occupation to Death during the 2nd World War, and was Arrested by the Putchist regime of the Colonels, later-on, being obliged to Escape in exile to Paris during 1967-1974.


He just missed a whole Century, passing away at 99 Years old, in quite good Health, reportedly among his Family.


-------------------------------


C.M. is survived by his Daughter, MP. Dora Bakoyannis, former Foreign Minister and f. President of CoE Assembly's Political affairs Committee, and his Son, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, young President of main opposition party of "New Democracy" in Greece, (ChristianDemocrats/EPP : Comp. f.ex. Statements also to "Eurofora", during EPP Summits in Brussels, at ...+...).


His Party is currently credited by Polls with a 16 to 18% Advance compared to Tsipras' governing Party of the Left, but Greece is reportedly threatened by a 2020 Peak in the service of its Debt, which originated from the Early 1980ies (Comp. Supra).

 

 Meanwhile, most among those counter-productive cushy job holders and/or political lackeys who profited from former Clientelist Governments' (mainly PASOK) of the Past, after having abusively being paid, for many Decades, quite confortable Salaries, several Allowances, Social Security and Holliday Leaves, etc. in Permanent and Safe, Public Sector Jobs, that they didn't deserve, povoking that huge, but initialy Hidden "Debt", which grew like a "Silent Killer" between 1981-2009 (Comp. Supra), are, recently, in the process of attempting to transform that also into more or less Cosy Retirement Pensions, due to last for another 2 or 3 Decades+, without even working at all, no more, while, on the Contrary, the Productive sector of the Economy and, particularly, most Small-Medium Businesses, have notoriously Suffered a lot, being still seriously threatened with extinction, and the various Victims of the 1980ies' and further Discriminations, Abuses or even Crimes, incuding Poor People, after having Suffered a great lot all this time, have been notoriously thrown in an Unprecedented level of Impoverishment, vainly seeking for Justice to be done, at last. I.e. reaching a rare but Crucial point, where real Economic Efficiency, and Social or Moral Justice, (sometimes even merely Criminal), have, in fact, become Synonymous..

.

 So that Kyriakos, who already has a relevant Experience as former Minister for Administrative Reform, theoreticaly might, eventualy, (alone or together with others) be given a Chance, by the Greek People, to Conclude, sooner or later, his Father's Unfinished Task, even if in Harder, but more Pressing circumstances.

 

 

(../..)

 

 

--------------------------------------------------

 

***

 

(NDLR : Headlines Photo : published by his son, Kyriakos, at his personal Website, now. 

+ 2nd Photo : From "AP" Archives, dated Spring 1990)

 

***

Main Menu

Home Press Deontology/Ethics 2009 Innovation Year EU endorses EuroFora's idea Multi-Lingual FORUM Subscribers/Donors FAQs Advanced search EuroFora supports Seabird newsitems In Brief European Headquarters' MAPs CoE Journalists Protection Platform
Multi-lingual Interface

BRIEF NEWS

Popular

Latest News

Statistics

Visitors: 60271906

Archive

Login Form





Remember me

Lost your Password?
No account yet? Create account

Syndicate

RSS 0.91
RSS 1.0
RSS 2.0
ATOM 0.3
OPML

Other Menu

 politkovskaya_gongadze_adali_400

Hu Jia's prize brings SAKHAROV's wife to "EuroFora" on murders of Journalists Politkofskaya, Gongadze and Adali :

- Elena Bonner : "All Journalists' murders must be fully investigated", without Double Standards.                                                                                    

During a special Mega-Event to celebrate 20 Years of SAKHAROV Prize for "Freedom of Thought", attributed in 2008 by EU Parliament to jailed Chinese Cyber-Dissident Hu JIA, the move was reinforced by strongly criticizing the persisting impunity in three cases of Journalists' Murders, such as POLITKOVSKAYA in Russia, GONGADZE in Ukraine, and ADALI in Turkish-occupied part of Cyprus.

Any bureaucratic doubt about whether Cyber-dissidents like Hu JIA might have, or not, a right to be protected as all Journalists must be, particularly when they take risks to search, find and publish original and critical News on issues of general interest to the society, could not resist to the emotion provoked by the message of his Wife, Zeng JINYAN spectacularly transmitted at a big screen in EU Parliament's hemicycle :

- "The most important and most interesting thing he did was to ... say the Truth :.. to write about the phenomena he observed... He never stopped Publishing.. on websites, so that the Public could learn about the reality .. and understand it.  In my view, this has been his greatest contribution", stressed the young wife of the jailed man, eager to cite also the cases of other critical journalists who faced various kinds of "harassment".

 - "Welcoming all those who have suffered for defending Human Rights", EU Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING, who had invited to Strasbourg all former Sakharov prize-winners from various Countries throughout the World, said that "China needs Europe, and Europe needs China : A great nation" with which "we want to have a good relationship", "association and ..friendship". "But we are never going to stop our fight for Human Rights, and No Government can expect this from us".

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of Peace, if Human Rights are left out. In fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.

    It's in this spirit that MEPs adopted, on Thursday, a Resolution denouncing that "the criminal
investigation and trial following the murder of (a) Journalist ...raises serious concerns with regard to transparency and respect for the rule of law", when a "brutal killing has not yet been fully investigated and solved in a satisfactory way".

    The text refered to dissident Journalist "Anna POLITOVSKAYA", a critic of Tchechen conflict, killed some years ago in Moscow, where Russian Authorities have found, arrested and are currently judging two executants, while also searching to arrest also a 3rd one, allegedly escaped in Belgium. But they have not yet found the instigators.

     Similar texts were adopted recently also on dissident Ukranian Journalist Georgiy GONGADZE's murder, for which Ukranian Authorities have at least found, arrested and condemned 2 executants to 12 and 13 Years of jail, but not yet the instigators. For that purpose, they recently accepted an International Experts team to participate to the investigations.     

But, it's only for the Murder of dissident Turkish Cypriot Journalist ADALI, in the occupied territories of Cyprus, that Turkey has NOT yet found ANYONE responsible, and even claimed recently inside CoE that it would be "impossible" to do so !    

These astonishing differences exist despite the fact that ECHR condemned alike Ukraine and Turkey with 2 Judgements on the same year : 2005, for the murders of  Journalists GONGADZE and ADALI, strong critics of Corruption in Ukraine, and of Ankara's policies on mass-influx of Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, respectively.    

Regarless of that, CoE's Committee of Ministers, who is entrusted with the duty to supervise execution of ECHR's judgements, has just asked Ukraine's Government to reply to further questions on Gongadze's murder before March 2009, while Turkey, curiously, got a longer postponement for answering questions on Adali's murder, until June...   

A comparison of these cases, raises serious questions about Double Standards :

------------------------

On TRANSPARENCY :
--------------------------
    On Gongadze's murder, CoE's body speaks even about the participation of
"an INTERNATIONAL group of Experts" in the Investigation, (f.ex. of "Tape Recordings"), accepted by Ukraine.
    On the contrary, on Adali's murder, CoE is obliged to repeatedly ask (for a 2nd
time) Turkey whether, at least, it informed the victims' Family, or not...
------------------------------
- On EFFICIENCY :
-----------------------
On Gongadze's murder, CoE formally "recalls that the Committee (of Ministers) ..URGED the Ukranian authorities.. to TAKE ALL NECESSARY INVESTIGATIVE STEPS TO ACHIEVE CONCRETE and VISIBLE RESULTS in the INVESTIGATION, aimed at the Identification of the INSTIGATORS and Organisers of the Murder", and "STRONGLY INVITED the Ukranian Authorities to provide information on the PROGRESS IN THE INVESTIGATION", before MARCH 2009.

But, on Adali's murder, on the contrary, CoE's body merely .. "took note" of the "arguments presented by" Cyprus, which denounce the absence of any proof of new "investigation" by Turkey. Following Turkey's own suggestion (!), it simply "noted" that there is "no limitation period" for "any new element" to "lead potentialy (sic !) to a Re-Opening of the Investigation". Without saying who might find any such "new" fact, since Turkey stoped searching... It also POSTPONED the issue until .. JUNE  !
-----------------------
 - On the PUNISHMENT OF THOSE RESPONSIBLE :
----------------------
 -  On Gongadze's murder case, Ukranian Authorities already arrested and condemned, at least 2 suspects, to 12 and 13 Years of jail. And on Politkovskaya's murder at least 2 suspects are judged, and a 3rd one "wanted".

On the contrary, on Adali's murder case, the Turkish authorities simply claim that "it had not been possible to obtain new .. information .. on the basis of which criminal charges could be brought against ANY person" !...

Moreover,  a LETTER sent by Turkey ...2 Years after CoE's 2006 call to re-investigate anew Adali's murder case, is totally EMPTY of Facts ! As Cypus' Delegation denounced earlier, Turkey's Letter ONLY CLAIMS that a "New Investigation" was made without any result, but does NOT even cite ANY FACT to prove it :

F.ex.,on the crucial issue of the "MOTIVATIONS" behind Adali's murder, noted by ECHR, Turkey MERELY CLAIMS that "all allegations  were investigated; without result", but OMITS ANY FACT TO PROVE IT !..(It doesn't even remind which were these "allegations").. .

+ On ECHR's astonishment that the Turkish Occupation regime didn't produce any "BALLISTIC REPORT" on the Shots which murdered Adali, Turkey again repeats, 12 years later, that, still, even until now, "it  was not possible to obtain the BalisticReport"...

- As for the astonishing absence of key-WITNESSES' Testimonies, denounced by ECHR, Turkey agains repeats various pretexts avoiding to reveal anything, (Fex. that a person "left" the Occupied Territories  "on 2002", or that another witness was heard, but without revealing nothing of what he said, etc).

Turkey obviously "FAILS TO MEET THE CRITICISM made BY THE COURT" for lack of any efficient Investigation in Adali's case, concluded Cyprus' Government.
---------------------------------------------
Replying to our Question which COMPARED these 3 outstanding cases of "JOURNALISTS MURDERS", Adali, Gongadze and Politkovskaya, in order to avoid "Double Standards" by asking from Ukraine and Russia more than what is asked EU candidate Turkey, many European personalities were critical /

They criticised Ankara's recent claim at the CoE to stop investigating, because it would be "impossible to find anyone" responsible for the 5 bullet shots which killed Kutlu ADALI in front of his Family Home, contrary to the other two Journalists' murders, where Ukraine and Russia at least arrested the executants, searching now for the instigators :
----------------------------------

imag0103_400

    - "Where was that ? In Turkish Occupied Cyprus ? WITHOUT ANY DOUBT : Any murder of Journalist should be investigated in full ! All these Murders must be investigated !", replied the famous SAKHAROV's wife, Elena BONNER to our question on Adali's case, compared to Gongadze and Politofskaya.

    Elena Bonner spoke us EXCLUSIVELY shortly after being honored by the President
of EU Parliament on the occasion of 20 Years of her husband's SAKHAROV Prize.

    A strong personality, Sakharov's wife even had to struggle against an anonymous EU staffer who, astonishingly, tried to stop her speaking when h heard our question on "Turkey" (!) : - "Please, let me translate, she continues
speaking, don't stop us !", had to cry Sakharov's daughter, (a Journalist
herself), who was translating her mothers' reply, (obliged to speak louder to
make her voice heard despite the harassment).. (= + Audio Proof !)

    Earlier, Elena Bonner also fustigated "Double Standards" at another case, on
Western countries' attitude vis a vis Kosovo and the Kurds : -F.ex. "You have
recognized a few 400.000 Kosovars as an "independent" country, but you still
deny that to 30 millions of Kurds in Turkey !", she denounced.
-----------------------------
    - "This (ADALI's murder) is an issue which should be pursued by the Committee
for Human Rights. That's why we have one, and it's its duty to examine cases of
Journalists' murders as the one you referred to. You should bring the case in
front of that Committee", suggested in reply to our question on Adali, EU
Parliament's President, German MEP Hans Gert POETTERING.

    - "It's impossible  to achieve goals of PEACE, if HUMAN RIGHTS are left out :
in fact, Peace and Human Rights are intrinsequaly linked", added POETTERING.
--------------------------------------
    + "For us (European/International Federation of Journalists) it's clear :
Whenever a Journalist is Murdered, the Investigation should continue until
those Responsible are found !", replied earlier to another question on ADALI
EFJ/IFJ's Secretary General, Aidan WHITE.

    Speaking as a matter of General Principle, White asked us for "concrete data"
on the execution of ECHR's judgement on Adali case, in order to "look at it in
depth" and "make a formal statement", in comparison with the other Murdered
Journalist case, also pending at CoE's  Ministers for completing its execution,
on Ukranian Gongadze.
----------------------------------------------------
     From EU Rapporteur on Human Rights, vice-President of EU Parliament Liberties' Committee, MEP Giusto CATANIA, we were told that, since there is an ECHR judgement in both Adali and Gongadge's cases, "Turkey must naturally execute the judgement and make a full and efficient investigation, until those responsible for the Journalist's murder are found and punished".

    Even if "we (Catania's "EuroLeft" Group) support Turkey's EU perspectives, this does not mean that Ankara should not behave properly. On the contrary, it means that they have to meet tough conditions, particularly on Human Rights", was added on the occasion of Adali's murder case.

    Moreover, "since you raise the issue of Mr. Adali's muder as a part of a Series of Journalist's murders, including fex. Gongadze, Politkovskaya, ao., tthen we (EU) could also act together with CoE's Commissioner on Human Rights, Thomas HAMMARBERG, it was suggested.

    - "We (EU) must step up efforts against the problem of IMPUNITY : Real Peace cannot exist without Justice",  stressed also this week at EU Parliament in Strasbourg, French Minister on Human Rights, Mrs Rama YADE.
------------------------
                     

Polls

2009 EU Elections were won by Parties against Technocracy and Turkey's controversial EU bid, while the 1999-2004 Majority Abstention trend decelerated. What should be done in 2009-2014 ?

Results

SMF Recent Topics SA

PHP WARNING 
PHP WARNING 
PHP WARNING 
PHP WARNING