The Greek Parliament has witnessed clashes in the past, including situations where arguing MPs suffered minor injuries from scuffles. In the past the Presidency has asked for the intervention of the guards, who are traditionally tasked with guarding the parliamentary hall.
The older generations might remember glasses being thrown, insults exchanged and benches being struck – even MPs making inarticulate noises. On particular MP had made a dog’s reputation for his successful barking impersonations.
Everyone who followed the Parliamentary sessions during the Apostasy (July 1965 until the closure of Parliament from the colonels of the 21st April 1967 coup) can compare the events and players of the era with what is going on Parliament today and come to some conclusions.
The Parliamentary sessions from 1965 until the coup were troubled. Unfortunately, since then things have gotten worse.
The recent events in Parliament have been widely covered; serious insults where exchanged and some even doubted the system of government. The refusal of MPs to comply with the Constitutional provisions and implement parliamentary regulations subverts democratic order.
The debasement of Parliament by the Apostasy in 1965 created the necessary climate and conditions for the collapse of Democracy. Today’s debasement of parliamentarism will not overthrow the government, but will raise alarm bells for the umpteenth time.
In June of 1973, when the junta propagandized in favor of the referendum declared by the “revolution”, the dictators’ Ministry of Propaganda distributed all over Greece a pamphlet which reprinted a report and the insults exchanged by the MPs who were in Parliament during the Apostasy.
The debasement of Parliament serves only those who lurk in the corners of Parliament. They are few, but they are dangerous.
Stavros P. Psycharis
– Originally published in the Sunday print edition
