Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis provided further clarifications regarding the amendment concerning the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. “It is not vindictive, it is not divisive and I believe it should not be necessary,” the government spokesperson said characteristically, speaking today on a morning show on Mega, about the amendment expected to go to Parliament next Tuesday, while emphasizing that at the monument neither protests, nor banners, nor demonstrations will be allowed.
Marinakis on Panos Routsis: I stand by his side
Specifically, Mr. Marinakis initially stated in his interview on the MEGA show: “The first day of the hunger strike (of P. Routsis) was Sunday. The next day in a briefing with political editors I said the obvious as a father and as a human being: That I stand by this man’s side. Of course, at the same time, we could not – and for me fortunately we cannot – intervene in justice and dictate what the decision should be. I believe that we should not even take a position commentarily when we hold certain positions. I believe these positions are very temporary and ephemeral, I don’t believe we are here forever. And those who believe they are forever make very big mistakes in politics. We will be here as long as the citizens want us.”
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier: This amendment is not vindictive
The government spokesperson then added: “This amendment is not vindictive, it is not divisive and I believe it should not be necessary. That is, an unwritten law should protect the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Why? What does this sacred monument symbolize? It symbolizes the struggle of all those who gave their lives, they are neither New Democrats, nor PASOK members, nor SYRIZA members, they are people who sacrificed themselves many years ago so that we could be free today. I believe the biggest mistake we can all make, whether we are in government or opposition or journalists or anything else, is to put two sacred concepts on the scale”. “It is the most sacred thing that exists, the sacrifice for the homeland and of course the right of a father, a mother, a relative, a friend, to mourn his child, his friend, his person is sacred. So, it is wrong to say ‘either one or the other’. The citizens who watch us don’t want to be divided into north-south, Olympiakos-Panathinaikos or black and white. Society is not there and we must not contribute to this process either. What will the amendment say? That at this monument, as happens in many, in all civilized states, in France, in Italy, in the USA, at this monument and in a specific area around the monument no protest, demonstration, banner, graffiti, anything will be allowed. The protection of this monument, that is the enforcement of order will be by the Greek police. Not by the army. The army will not come down to Syntagma and the enhancement, maintenance of the monument will be the responsibility of the Ministry of National Defense. All these will be presented analytically by the amendment” explained the government spokesperson.
“As soon as this amendment is voted for the square meters that the amendment will define, which will arise from all that applies to the specific monument, at the specific point that will be regulated by the amendment nothing will be allowed neither protest, nor graffiti, nor banners, nor demonstration whether it is from a left organization or from a center-right organization” he added. Additionally, Mr. Marinakis noted “the prime minister bowed with respect to children who were killed in a tragic accident. It does not mean he ‘ignored’ the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. This association is wrong. It is wrong to enter the process of division. I insist therefore and say that the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier is above any protest. And this amendment is necessary. All parties, all political forces will be measured. It does not mean that whoever votes for respect for the nation’s heroes, which we as a state were late to do the obvious, is against a father experiencing absolute pain. On the contrary, you can support both one obvious thing and the other”.
Marinakis: “Karamanlis’ statements are not addressed to one person”
Regarding the statements of former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, Mr. Marinakis after saying that Europe’s official position on the rule of law says that in Greece the situation has improved in recent years emphasized: “so, the narrative that Greece is a rule of law state that is collapsing, does not apply. Greece has managed and made leaps in issues of press freedom and rule of law. Personally, as the deputy minister responsible for the Press, we have legislated with the Ministry of Justice the abolition of simple defamation, a special law for threats against journalists. We have the most effective task force for journalists.”
“I believe that Karamanlis’ statement, the former prime minister’s, is a statement that we must all listen to and mainly those -who?- who some years ago wanted to put political opponents in prison and I refer to the Novartis conspiracy, which collapsed. In this country let us remember that the Justice Minister of the previous government, Mr. Kontonis, himself, that is, Mr. Tsipras’ minister, had said that para-Justice ministries were operating. We will remember that in this country some locked some in rooms to manipulate channels and two ministers were convicted irrevocably by Justice, 13-0. In this country parliament remained open in 2019 to vote for a penal code with whatever it had inside and with all the releases that were made” he said. “Karamanlis’ statements are not addressed to one person. This interpretation is wrong, I believe. I am not his interpreter, especially of a former prime minister. And who else should listen to what Mr. Karamanlis said, much more? Those who question justice – I remind you that Mr. Androulakis had said that ‘I have no confidence in justice’ – and those who attack justice” he added.
“Society will evaluate Alexis Tsipras”
Asked about Alexis Tsipras’ book, the government spokesperson said: “Let him write as many books as he wants -his right, of course- and as many parties as he wants, he will not rewrite history.” Finally, asked if there is room for Mr. Tsipras, Mr. Marinakis said: “Citizens will judge that. We have democracy. He may find it, he may not find it. Society will evaluate him. However, at this moment, I believe we should speak in terms of politics. What does politics mean? What does what I and every politician say do in citizens’ lives? I don’t think citizens need self-appointed saviors from any space, who want to return only and only as persons. We don’t choose opponents. We didn’t win against Mr. Tsipras in 2019 and 2023. We won citizens’ trust. It’s wrong to choose an opponent, it’s arrogant to choose an opponent. We won’t do that.”
