Athens Mayor Kaminis at CoE: Persecution failed to curb Rightist Golden Dawn (Polls).=> Other Means?

 

 

The collective Persecution of the political Leadership of this Rightist Party (that some denounce as "Neo-Nazi", what they dismiss, considering themselves as simply "Popular Natiionalists") , with arrests and pre-trial jailings, including of its Chief and 3 other MPs of "Golden Dawn", the Parliamentary team of which has also seen all its Political Party Public Financial Revenues "Frozen" ad infinitum, after a long-negotiated New Law was introduced on this occasion and voted by many other Parties (except 2), could not be legaly done with any accusation of being "Extremist", since the Constitution of Greece excludes any Prohibition of a Political Party, as Kaminis too reminded. But it had been triggered by the bloody Killing of an Anti-Fascist militant, during a collective Fight at a Bar between 2 Groups, by a current fan (but not member) of the Party, who had previously been a pro-Communist and afterwards reportedly Leftist, before turning towards those Rightists, just a few Months ago (since the end of 2012-beginning of 2013), as a participant in "GH"s distribution of Free Food to Poor Greek People as well as in a Free Bus Cultural Tour to an Ancient Castle, followed by the attendance of some Political Speeches, etc., shortly after being Fired from his long-time job as Lorry Driver, until his Family, recently threatened to be thrown to the street, reportedly found some material Help there. Claiming that he was "under attack" by that "Anti-Fascist" Group, which pulled him out of his car, threw him down at the street and was hitting him at the head with their fists, the suspect (who was arrested on the spot and acknowledged immediately his act), claimed that he would have been trying to "defend" himself, without any intention to kill his victim, that he said to regret : I.e. a scenario partly Similar to that of "Anti-Fascist" group's militant Meric, recently killed during a collective quarel in Paris, France.

But the "Criminal organisation" charges recently brought against that Political Party's leadership and elected MPs are reportedly wider, apparently covering still on-going Investigations also on various other alleged incidents, mainly of the Past, even if of lesser gravity comparatively, while "GD"'s already earlier denounced -sometimes harsh- opposition to illegal foreign immigration penetrating Greece, that many had already accused of "Xenophobia", etc., appears to be another, but legally distinct issue. As Kaminis himself acknowledged, "GD" had often penetrated in some Urban Districts which had been "Neglected" by previous Governments and gathered an over-concentration of massive illegal Immigration as well as "Criminality", where this party (which, in the Past, didn't gather more than 0,22% in average), often offered its services "as a Protector of the Weaker Citizens", (f.ex. Old and/or Poor People, SMEs, Jobless, etc), according to his words, so that, despite even the Municipality's "active Opposal" (particularly against the Distribution of Free Food to Poor Greek People, as he reminded), to which was added also the recent Nation-wide and heavy Legal Persecution (Comp. Supra), "the Influence of Golden Dawn is Not Diminishing", until now, he personaly regretted.

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

Today''s warning by Kaminis, is a real Surprise, coming particularly from him, who had been one of the Loudest Instigators of such Policies, asking to launch "Criminal" Prosecutions against the Rightist "Golden Dawn"'s Leaders and Members already since much Earlier Times, (f.ex. from May 2013, etc)...

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

Recent Polls revealed that, surprisingly, People attracted to "Golden Dawn" are not so much motivated by its alleged "Hard" stance vis a vis illegal Immigrants' massive influx in Greece (most often through the EU's External Borders facing Turkey), and even less from its call for an "Economic Autarchy", which implies to start Desintegrating €uroZone  : Something that most Greeks refuse, prefering to stay part of €uroArea). Not even so much from Foreign Policy issues, etc. (even if Nationalism might, sometimes, play a role, which is, however, not at all unique at GD only, but exists also in other Parties). What seems specific and Popular is rather, much more than a mere "Decredibiliation" of many previously Leading Politicians (mainly PASOK+) of the Past Decades (as Kaminis claimed), rather "GD"'s strong adherence to the Principle that those Politicians and others, of the last 30 Years (1981-2011+), who are really Responsible for provoking that Huge Public Debt crushing the country's Economy, must be found and Punished, so that Justice can be done to their various Victims : Political "Justice" Tops, indeed, by far,  popular preferences in Greece according to the latest Polls, marking a Record High, among all other issues concerning the choice of any political party whatever.

This used to be one among the main attractive points of current Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, Head of the "New Democracy", mainstream, center-Right party, an experienced former MEP in EU Parliament known in both Strasbourg and Brussels, as well as former Foreign Minister, who Surfed at the Top of all popular Polls until November- December 2011, when also German Chancellor Angie Merkel had agreed with his initial wish to hold National Elections at the beginning of December, just in time for EU's Brussels Summit on December 2011, shortly after a series of Spectacular Popular revolts with a widespread Reject of Out-going PASOK's former Government, on the occasion of many Public Events throughout the Country, celebrating the Annual Anniversary for the Historic "No" to Fascism during the 2nd World War.

Because PASOK was obviously felt to bear a Heavy Responsibility for allegedly Hidding the gravity of the Problems provoked against the Country's Productive Sector and Poor People by a Giant Public Debt accumulated since the 1980ies by a notoriously Excessive Number of counter-productive Cushy Job Holders and/or abusive Political Lackeys, scandalously appointed at the State/Public Sector by former Clientelist/Nepotist Governments, mainly of PASOK (1981-2011+), in blatant DisProportion compared to the National Production, which had brought more and more Public Debts, (only Briefly Covered up, during a 1998-2002 USA's "Goldman Sachs"' Sweeps, just in time for a the then PASOK Government to snatch the April 2000 Election by boasting to have brought Greece inside €uroZone earlier than normal, i.e. even Before doing the necessary Reforms, in exchange of closing its eyes to Turkey's controversial and unpopular EU "Candidate" status scheduled by the December 1999 Helsinki EU Summit, until the 2009 Global Crisis made it "Explode" on 2008-2009).

But these 2010-2011 Polls changed, and the 1st Greek Political Party (ND)'s popularity fell to much Lower levels in 2012, losing its initial potential for an Autonomous Government, and even facing a Split with several of its MPs being obliged to leave it hastily, after some pushed Samaras to accept (initially indirectly, and later-on even directly) an unprecedented in Greece's History "Co-Habitation" with the outgoing PASOK, which has practically been in the Governments of the country for almost 30 Years : 1981-2013, with a Few, Short Exceptions of only the 1991-1993 "Anti-Scandals" National Unity Government of Constantinos Mitsotakis, (formed by all Other Political Parties, even the PC, except from the PASOK, then badly hit by various Scandals of the 1980ies, which have not been all elucidated yet), and the Costas Caramanlis mid-2004-mid-2009 "ND" Government, (which had made a 1st, shy Attempt to Start dealing progressively with the accumulated problems, including to try to curb the Debt coming from the Past, but without yet daring attack the real Socio-Political Causes and make the necessary Radical Changes),  particularly after what many denounce as the Biggest Electoral Fraud in the Country's History, when PASOK's Giorgos Papandreou snatched the 2009 Election with main promisses for Fast Growth via Public Funds, only to start crying loudly, just a few weeks afterwards, when it became obvious that the State's coffers were Empty and its Public Debts scoring Record-High numbers, threatening to Crush all the Economy and endanger €uroZone by the Debts accumulated during the last 30 Years, i.e. practically under most PASOK-run previous Governments, including several in which G.Papandreou had personally participated...

Recently, Samaras' First Big Move to really Try to Start the Hardest, but also the most Urgently Needed,  Economic Reform of all, asked by EU/ECB/IMF since 2010-2013) : that of Liberating the Greek State, Economy and People from the joug of the notoriously Excessive and counterproductive Cushy-Job Holders and/or abusive Political Lackeys, scandalously appointed by former Clientelist/Nepotist Governments mainly of PASOK, during the last 30 Years (1981-2011+), was made at the Summer 2013, when he tried to tackle decisively the problem of the Public-RadioTV "ERT", which had become widely Unpopular among most Greek People :  Not only because of its frequent Waste of Public Funds, but also for its often grossly Biaised Reporting, accused to excessively stick to the views of its mainly PASOK employers, downplaying all other Political Competitors, and benefiting of too many Privileges, undeservedly given just to a Selfish and Egoist Group of corporatist interets, which had made many People notoriously disgusted by frequent blunders of Pseudo-Journalism, too Costly and treating others with Contempt, (even while many other, really Investigative and/or Critical Journalists were, on the contrary, facing Discriminations, Harassments, sly Censorship, sly Slandering, various Attacks, and even, at certain politically "Hot" periods, more or less blatant Oppression of elementary Freedoms).

But, after a smaller, "Leftist" Party, DIMAR, withdrew from the Governemetal Coalition (to be soon droped down to only .. 2% in recent Polls !), while PASOK's remnants also threatened to do so, unfortunately, this attempt to definitively solve the ERT problem and create a New Public Radio-Television, was practically Blocked, while even the Studios and other Installations, as well as the Athens' Headquarters of ERT still remain, until now, under a persisting Occupation by its former employees, who refuse to let their collegues work , as New "Public RTV" Journalists (reportedly chosen according to more "Objective" Criteria : a controversial point which needs clarification), costing to the Greek State's Finances more than + 500.000 € each Month, just for the confiscated Building... Something which obviously Risks to push for even Worst Deprivations to the detriment of Productive Businesses  struggling to survive, and of many Poor People, threatened to have to pay even more unjust Taxes in order to balance such persisting Waste in the former ERT, etc., as well as to provoke Problems to the forthcoming Talks with the EU/ECB/IMF "Troika", etc...

It's at this particular Context, that Rightist "Golden Dawn"'s popularity at most Public Polls, suddenly started to Jumb up, from 6,5% in 2012, towards 8%, 9%, 10%, etc., even more than 12%, 15% or 16% etc., while, at the same time, the Number of "Undecided" grew abnormaly, since the End of August - Beginning of September 2013, apparently due mainly to many People's Frustration from that prolonged Lack of a Real Political Alternance, despite strong¨Popular Aspirations to an at least elementary Justice to the various Victims of 30 Years of Ill-Administration (1981-2011+), which resulted to that Monstruously Huge Public Debt currently threatening to crush an entire Generation of People.

All these Facts clearly show the Vital Need for a New Political Project, able to efficiently Combine a real Democratic Alternance to the Past 30 Years, with the even Ethical necessity for  basic Justice and Truth, together with a Decisive and Just Change in Economic-Social policies, in a way which speaks to the People's experiences, Values and elementary aspirations, while also honestly enlightening them on how to struggle for a positive Future.

It's right in the middle of such a big Lacuna, that the recent Dramatic Event of the Violent InFight at an Athens' Bar, which resulted in the bloody Killing of Anti-Fascist militant Fyssas (Comp. Supra), as well as in the sudden "Criminal" Prosecution, arrest and jailing of many Top members of the Rightist Party "Golden Dawn"'s leadership, as well as of various other People, sometimes eve simple sympathisers in several other areas of the Country, the Cut of any Public Funding to all its Elected Parliamentary Representation, and a large Mediatic outcry against it, (etc), but without managing yet to curb its persisting popularity, as several Polls , the latest Public Meeting and other facts attest, according also to the experienced Athens' Mayor Kaminis' own Warning Today at the CoE in Strasbourg, (Comp. Supra).

Kaminis' "New Means" might focus, perhaps, towards more Social and/or Education Measures, as well as various "actions in certain Popular Quarters", etc., as he said here, without, however, going into any concrete details.

But the out-going PASOK/DIMAR's politician seems to underestimate or even totaly ignore the above-mentioned Political, Moral, Historical and Economic factors, that "EuroFora" briefly highlighted (Comp. Supra).

Only the Future will prove which might really be the most adequate "New Means" (according to Kaminis' vocabulary), in order to deal with the Complex and Multi-facet Questions raised by the "Golden Dawn"'s case, as well as of that of various other, more or less Rightist or Leftist Movements currently spreading throughout Europe, in a really efficient and adequate way, corresponding to a Solid European Democracy and State of Law.

Meanwhile, Kaminis, curiously, didn't, however, explain at all, in his Public Statements at this exceptional CLRAE Debate, what kind of "Other Measures" against controversial "Golden Dawn" Party and MPs he might have in mind.