27.2.13
The amendment proposed by 84 New Democracy MPs, whereby the only Greeks holding both citizenship and heritage are allowed in military schools has caused a series of reactions from both government partners and the opposition.
PASOK goes so far as to condemn the tweet by the Chief of the National Defense General Staff Michalis Kostarakos, for an “institutionally unacceptable intervention”, DIMAR refers to “medieval darkness” and SYRIZA spoke of a “monumental text of nationalist and racist distinctions”.
In its announcement, PASOK explains that the Greek heritage pre-requisite to attend Military Schools was abolished because it had been found to be non-constitutional. The only exception to this rule concerns the President of Democracy. PASOK specifies that “when someone can be elected Prime Minister or appointed Minister of National Defense, it is inconceivable to tell them they cannot attend an officer or junior officer military school”.
DIMAR spoke of “medieval darkness that exudes from New Democracy MPs, assisted from their colleagues in Golden Dawn and Independent Greeks”, suggesting that citizenship should be a deciding criterion for a modern military, while warning that “turning the Armed Forces in an ideological and political battlefield will subvert their efficiency and unity”.
SYRIZA outright demanded the amendment be withdrawn as it is a “monumental text of nationalist and racist distinctions”. SYRIZA MP Thodoris Dritsas claimed the amendment excluded people who were born, raised and educated in Greece and called for the Ministry of National Defense’s political leadership to “abandon its obvious intentions”.
