The recent murder of 34-year-old Pavlos Fyssas in Keratsini has prompted the political system to finally tackle the paramilitary action of the neo-Nazi Golden Dawn gang lead by Nikos Michaloliakos.

In the country that gave birth to democracy and suffered from the Nazis, it is encouraging that despite the usual political conflicts, that there is a unifying willingness to tackle the criminal activity of Golden Dawn

The coalition government wants to prove with irrefutable evidence that Golden Dawn operates as a paramilitary organization, with a military structure, group leaders, assault groups, rapid response units etc.

The government’s central message is that the investigations will carry on in depth and that there will be no tolerance for the Nazis, indicating a willingness to tackle “Hitler’s apologists”.

At first the government wants to isolate Golden Dawn from the people. Then, the goal is to help people who joined then the Nazi gang due to the crisis and to punish the political system, to abandon it.

One of the arguments used is that Golden Dawn doesn’t exclusively target immigrants, but Greeks as well, especially anyone who opposes their politics. The civil war atmosphere cultivated infuriates rightists, centrists and leftists, since everyone is a target – not just the left – as evident by the events in Meligalas, where Golden Dawn assaulted other right-wingers.

The government is determined to deal a critical strike to Golden Dawn. The strict orders to the police and judicial authorities are clear and according to senior government officials, issues of legality and instigation might arise.

Many recall that in August 2012, Golden Dawn’s general secretary openly attacked everyone from the stand in Thermopylae and spoke of assault squads and battling in the streets. Michaloliakos said how he was disgusted by Parliament and challenged everyone to take to the streets “so that they can see what assault squads are, what battle is, what fighting is and what it is to sharpen bayonets on the sidewalks”.

The overall sentiment in the government is the “Nazis must be dealt with” and despite the delays, the necessary changes to legislation are taking place so that unarmed groups can be characterized as a criminal group, which directly affects Golden Dawn’s assault squads.

Prime Minister Samaras is prioritizing the tackling of the neo-Nazis. Aside from making legislation stricter and the police immediately responding to Golden Dawn’s illegal activities, the Minister of Justice Charalambos Athanasiou has been ordered to expedite the investigation of everyone involved.

The legislative changes of articles 187 and 195 of the penal code refer to establishing a criminal organization and armed group respectively. An amendment will be introduced so that an unarmed group can be dealt with as a criminal organization.

The Prime Minister, who is in constant communication with Ministers of Public Order and Justice Dendias and Athanasiou, and the government Vice President Evangelos Venizelos have agreed on tackling Golden Dawn.

In the spirit of neutralizing the Nazi threat, Mr. Samaras has been milder in his announcements and download the “two extremes” theory, in an effort to appear as a guarantor of political stability, social peace, normalcy, order and security.