To Vima spoke to the leaders of New Democracy, PASOK, SYRIZA, DIMAR and KKE about their thoughts on the escalation of racially and politically-motivated violence and the criminal activities attributed to Golden Dawn members and supporters
The Prime Minister and leader of New Democracy Antonis Samaras states that despite the challenges “Democracy has the means to defend itself”. According to the PM the people’s unity is paramount in defending the democratic rule of law and that we cannot allow hate to inform our thinking, since violence will fuel more violence.
The government’s Vice President and leader of PASOK Evangelos Venizelos claims that he posed the issue of Golden Dawn before last years elections and warns that “the tolerance to violence defeats Democracy”. Mr. Venizelos considers Golden Dawn to be a criminal organization and maintains that its emergence was greatly supported by petty political considerations.
Opposition and SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras stated that the fight against Golden Dawn is “the fight for democracy”, asserting that the dire economic conditions and destitution brought on by the austerity measures allowed Golden Dawn to increase its influence. Mr. Tsipras is also critical of the “two extremes” theory cultivated by the Prime Minister and accuses the media of being implicit.
DIMAR leader Fotis Kouvelis agrees that poverty, unemployment and insecurity brought on an uncontrollable rage that Golden Dawn capitalized in order to increase its position. Mr. Kouvelis believes that the solution to combating racist violence and the theory of “acceptable violence” lies in upholding and maintaining the rule of law.
The Communist Party’s general secretary Dimitris Koutsoubas argues that the recent dramatic violent events reveal Golden Dawn’s nature as a “murderous, criminal organization of neo-Nazi fascists, born and bread in the capitalist system”. Mr. Koutsoubas remarks that Golden Dawn’s charitable events are a cover for its true operation as a mafia-like enforcer of capitalist interests.
