Greek society watches in shock as the massacre that occurred in Borizia, Heraklion last Saturday (1.11) resulted in the deaths of two people – a 39-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman. The 39-year-old’s funeral took place on Monday afternoon in an atmosphere of grief and heartbreak. Throughout the procession, mourning songs expressing the family’s pain could be heard, while dozens of men dressed in black surrounded the funeral. The devastated wife of the 39-year-old, left behind to care for their five children alone, broke hearts with her sobs: “I love you, can you hear me?” she cried over the coffin. Three New Democracy MPs elected in Crete’s prefectures speak to parapolitika.gr and send their own message following the Borizia massacre.
Dora Bakoyannis on Borizia Heraklion: “No one is above Justice”
“The events in Borizia, Heraklion are a disgrace to our country. No alibi, no ‘tradition’ and no distorted concept of honor can justify the blood spilled once again in Crete,” states Chania MP Dora Bakoyannis. “Vendetta is not tradition. It is a curse. It is a vicious cycle of violence that destroys families, divides villages and tarnishes the name of an island that has contributed much to Greece. The state has a duty to enforce the law with determination. No one is above Justice,” Bakoyannis emphasizes.
“There can be no tolerance, no silence, no ‘come on, that’s how it is in Crete.’ This mentality must end here and now. New generations must learn that courage is not measured by weapons, but by the strength of the soul and responsibility. We must all step forward and pressure, as we did in 2005, for the state to take initiatives to abolish gun ownership in Crete,” the conservative MP concludes.
Sevi Voloudaki: “Violence always produces injustice and brings unbearable and incurable pain”
“Violence always produces injustice and brings unbearable and incurable pain. It operates outside the framework of Law and logic and therefore has no justifiable basis. Courage has nothing to do with it. Respect for laws, reconciliation. Civilization always shows the path of peace and respect. Anything else leads only to dead ends that must be avoided at all costs,” argues Deputy Minister of Migration and Asylum and Chania MP, Sevi Voloudaki.
Alexandros Markoyannakis: “Our duty to rid Crete of the culture of death”
“The tragic events in Borizia bring us all face to face with our responsibilities. Illegal gun possession and use is a wound that must be uprooted from Crete. It is neither tradition nor bravery. It is murderous and criminal behavior that has no place in Cretan lives,” emphasizes Alexandros Markoyannakis. “To be able to uproot these practices, however, requires determination, a change of mentality and cooperation from all of us: The central state, local government, educational institutions, the Church and local communities have a duty to rid Crete of this culture of death,” he adds. “Especially we Cretans ourselves must isolate and devalue all those who maintain this mentality,” Markoyannakis concludes.
