Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis provided clarifications regarding the amendment expected to be put to a vote in Parliament next Tuesday, concerning the assignment of protection of the Unknown Soldier monument to the Ministry of National Defense. “The amendment has no connection to the struggle a father made for his child, nor is it vindictive or divisive,” Marinakis stated during an interview on a morning show on Mega TV. It should be noted that the related announcement has caused intense reactions in the political arena.
Pavlos Marinakis: We like to create dragons as a country
“We like as a country, I’m referring to the political system, to create some ‘dragons’, because these sell more. The amendment has no connection to the struggle a father made for his child, nor is it vindictive or divisive,” Marinakis said characteristically regarding the criticism the government receives for the related decision. “Mr. Dendias said in Parliament that he stands with Mr. Routsi humanly, as do we, and a little later said that it’s the justice system’s job to decide. Some media chose not to broadcast this statement to create a climate of division,” he added. “This sacred monument symbolizes those who gave their lives and sacrificed themselves so we could be free today. The biggest mistake we can all make is to weigh two sacred concepts against each other. Sacrifice for the homeland is most sacred, and of course the right of a father, mother, relative or friend to mourn their loved one is sacred. It’s wrong to say either one or the other,” he added.
Unknown Soldier monument: Protests, graffiti and banners will not be allowed
Marinakis then explained: “The amendment will state that at this monument and in a specific area around the monument, no protests, demonstrations, banners or graffiti will be allowed. Law enforcement will be carried out by police and the enhancement and maintenance of the monument is a priority of the Ministry of National Defense. Once the amendment is passed, neither protests nor graffiti nor banners will be allowed at this specific location, whether from left-wing or center-right organizations.”
Marinakis on Tempe: Parents have the right to demand whatever they wish
At the same time, the government spokesman accused opposition parties, particularly the president of Plefsi Eleftherias Zoi Konstantopoulou, of wanting to delay the Tempe trial. “Next to this grieving father, many found the opportunity for five minutes of publicity and political survival. It’s not Mr. Routsi and every father who protests there that gives every person an excuse to make their personal manifesto,” he said. “We will never confront the parents. Parents have the right to demand whatever they wish, no one will deprive them of that right. No one is bothered, no one’s aesthetics are harmed by a father’s struggle,” he added, while subsequently noting: “The fact that Messrs. Karamanlis and Triantopoulos will be tried by a natural judge is due to the constitutional amendment made during Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s days. The statute of limitations was abolished, so from our days forward, whatever crimes have been committed will not be subject to limitation periods and we will all have the same limitation periods.”
“Alexis Tsipras will not rewrite history”
It should be noted that regarding Alexis Tsipras, Marinakis stated: “I will not devalue a former prime minister, but neither will we fear him.” “We must remind, we must not let Mr. Tsipras and every former prime minister invest in forgetfulness, that people will forget what he did. The most serious thing SYRIZA did was in the moral aspect. Let’s not make the mistake that our benchmark is Mr. Tsipras. If we’re to be compared with a government that fell as a government at 32% and as opposition at 17% and now at 5% and we think we need to be better than them, we’ve lost control,” he declared. “Mr. Tsipras has the right to write as many books as he wants, but he will not rewrite history,” the government spokesman emphasized.
