Many attribute the ambiguous stance that Maria Karystianou has maintained regarding the creation of a political party to the numerous advisors she has around her. Information suggests that these people come from different political backgrounds and therefore have different opinions and perspectives on whether the head of the Association of Relatives of Victims should take the next step and, if she ultimately decides to do so, how it should be done.
Read: Nikos Karaxalios: Maria Karystianou backed down twice on the KYMA party – Panos Routsis is right
Lawyer Maria Gratsia, who ran as a parliamentary candidate for Athens’ First District with the “Niki” party in the 2023 elections, is her closest collaborator, while at the same time it is said that Michalis Patsicas is also a regular interlocutor of hers. In a video he posted on November 2nd, Patsicas refuted Nikos Karaxalios regarding the “KYMA” party and referred to Maria Karystianou, attributing to her the characterization “bee.” Michalis Patsicas was a member of the “Spitha” group created by Mikis Theodorakis. “Spitha” was not a party, but a citizens’ movement — without hierarchy, as Theodorakis emphasized. Later, from this initiative emerged the Independent Citizens Movement (KAP) and later collaborated with “Spitha – Political Spring – Union for the Homeland and the People,” headed by Giorgos Karatzaferis and others.
Maria Karystianou: What Karaxalios said that caused reactions
Nikos Karaxalios, speaking yesterday on Thessaloniki’s radio station Status FM 107.7, appeared to insist on his narrative that there was an understanding with Maria Karystianou for creating a political entity. “We talked with Maria about the evolution of a political movement that would become a party,” the well-known communications expert characteristically stated, insisting that Maria Karystianou, through her lawyer Maria Gratsia, requested and had a meeting with him. “Maria has pressure from the people who come down to the squares,” Mr. Karaxalios pointed out, adding that because her role is sensitive, every time she goes to do something, they tell her that things shouldn’t be politicized due to the upcoming trial. “It’s not a bad thing,” he said regarding the possibility of Karystianou creating a party. “Because it’s presented by some media as something satanic, let’s not say ‘party creation.’ Let’s say the organization of a movement that is completely unorganized,” he noted, emphasizing that any participation of hers in some movement should be exonerated. “Maria calls on people to organize. In all rallies she tells people ‘self-organize’ and I’ll see what I’ll do,” he explained, emphasizing that “clearly Karystianou is considering it.”
Referring to his acquaintance with Maria Karystianou, he said that around July 11th, her lawyer called him. According to what Nikos Karaxalios says, they came to an agreement on July 24th, at an event in Crete, to proceed with announcing a movement that would evolve into a party. “They called me; would some guy from nowhere take 10 channels, national ones at that, without getting approval?” he wondered. Finally, however, it appears that Ms. Karystianou backed down. “Politics has these back-and-forths,” he said regarding the subsequent denial by Maria Karystianou, while he gave as an example the flip-flops of former prime ministers Antonis Samaras and Alexis Tsipras.
Regarding Karystianou’s denial, which followed after the presentation of the logo for “KYMA,” Nikos Karaxalios said that “the text probably refers to a website text that writes that KYMA is Karystianou’s party and that’s why I said Maria is right. Obviously Maria got entangled, confused, they didn’t inform her properly.”
Speaking about his professional relationship with Maria Karystianou, he mentioned that “I, the day before that day, had called Maria and we even discussed an event on December 1st at ESIEA — the hall has been booked. While we were talking (and I had spoken with Mrs. Gratsia at least three times in major media and gave interviews), regarding KYMA, which is a citizens’ movement, essentially a platform that expresses citizens and will also express the Tempe movement.”
Regarding his post, he mentioned that “she didn’t tell me to upload it, but she didn’t tell me not to upload it either,” he emphasized. And he added: “I suggested to her that there’s a way not to make a party, but to become a movement. Maria accepted it, when she decided for the first time, she backed down.”
Meanwhile, after Nikos Plakias, who reacted strongly to the scenarios of party creation by Maria Karystianou, Panos Routsis also appeared negative, saying that “from the beginning we say, neither party nor colors. I don’t believe Maria can go to some party or ‘KYMA.’ Anyone who goes to make some party or KYMA will be catastrophic for us. I don’t dispute what Mr. Karaxalios said, but between us, with Maria, she hasn’t told us anything.”
He even added that “I don’t think I would support a movement where Maria Karystianou would preside; it would be very catastrophic, because people know us for what we are. If something like that happens, I think people will wonder about the struggle we made for 2.5 years. I wouldn’t support her,” he added. Asked whether he would see a party under Maria Karystianou after the end of the trial, Mr. Routsis replied: “There I would see it somewhat, because the struggle would be completely clear until then.”
