Post date: Sep 19, 2013 12:49:6 PM
Prime Minister says Greek democracy will not be damaged by the 'descendants of Nazis' after stabbing of anti-racism rapper by far-right sympathiser.
ATHENS, GREECE (REUTERS) - Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said on Thursday (September 19) that the actions of "descendants of Nazis" would not be allowed to cripple democracy in the country where it was born, following the fatal stabbing of a 35-year-old rap musician by a man who sympathized with the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn Party.
Samaras said Greeks were facing difficult times and making hard sacrifices but differences could not be solved with violence."We all know that the country is at an extremely critical moment. And that the people are bearing huge sacrifices in order to defeat the crisis and achieve an economic revival. The is not a time for internal conflicts or tensions. Whatever political differences exist are resolved through democratic dialogue, not with inflammatory arguments. Nor with violence, from wherever it arises," he said.
He added
"This government is determined not to allow the descendants of Nazis to poison our lives, to commit crimes, to terrorize, and to undermine the foundations of the country that gave birth to democracy. Democracy is much stronger than its enemies believe."
The murder of 35-year-old rapper Pavlos Fissas by a man who admitted being a sympathizer of the far right anti-immigrant party Golden Dawn has caused a furore in the country. Politicians, the public, unions, and various organizations have all condemned the action and staged protests.
In parliament on Thursday it once again became the focus of debate among politicians, with the Deputy Foreign Minister saying Golden Dawn had not changed perceptions of themselves.
"They had every opportunity all this time to prove in parliament that they object to fascism. Instead, they are proving that they represent a criminal Nazi organization," Deputy Foreign Minister Kyriakos Gerontopoulos said.
A parliamentary deputy of the main left opposition SYRIZA Party proposed that a minute of silence be held for Fissas. The parliamentary speaker accepted the proposal, but when Golden Dawn MP Ilias Kassidiaris said he also accepted the proposal and re-iterated that Golden Dawn had nothing to do with the murder, deputies from both the Communist Party and SYRIZA asked that the proposal for a minute of silence be rescinded, and everyone sat down again.
"I want to condemn this mockery, and everyone who is exploiting the blood of a young man for political gain and in order to wage war against Golden Dawn, as well as to gain votes. This is ridiculous, making a proposal and then rescinding it." Kassidiaris said after the proposal was rescinded.
More than 2,000 people turned out for Fissas' funeral on Thursday.