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Recently, a folk song from the time of Ottoman rule praising the power of Moscow has been brought back to life among politicians, businessmen, shipping magnates and university teachers. The expectation of support from Russia, which still fascinates many Greeks, has supporters in nationalist, conservative and patriotic circles that perceive the Kremlin as a defender of the country.

There has recently been a stir in society related to the video posted on the Russian platform rutube.ru, which reveals a conversation between former Secretary General of the Cabinet Panagiotis Baltakos and Ilias Kasidiaris from Golden Dawn. It has raised many questions, one of them being why was the early morning of 2 April preferred for posting the video by an unknown user called "account 601126"? According to well-informed sources, this was because it would not be easy for the Greek police or any Western Service to intervene nor to trace the person who had posted the video.

Golden Dawn, Ilias Kasidiaris in the centre, Photo: aksioprepeiakantoxh.com

"Selective preferences"

All who are very well aware of the actions behind the scenes speak about "selective preferences" for the Greek Golden Dawn on the part of Russian private and even state media, business, political and church circles, and various non-governmental organizations. No one can say with certainty that Russian circles want to strengthen the positions of Golden Dawn but there are many signs that confirm such a version.

According to sources from the government, the recent posts supporting specific Russian business and political circles that have ties with the powerful church there have not appeared by accident in Russia.

"You should have no illusions. Take a general look at the facts and signs", a source who is aware of the business and geopolitical game in the region emphasizes before "To Vima" newspaper.

“Russian fascists, extreme nationalists and those who are nostalgic for the monarchy, with whom the party of Nikolaos Michaloliakos has close links, have not become fond of Golden Dawn all at once. However, the interest on the part of the political and business circles is sudden. They believe that they can benefit from a strong Golden Dawn and therefore want it to have a strong presence in the political life of Greece", continues the same source and, to avoid any misunderstandings, hastens to point out that the support for Golden Dawn is not a central policy of the Kremlin.

"There are no instructions from Putin but those who have established relations with Golden Dawners are close to the centre and have access to the central government in the Kremlin", states a Greek politician who is familiar with the activities of the extreme right wing. In any case, although Putin has not given his "blessing" to what is happening, the fact that even Russian state media have presented the activities of Golden Dawn gives rise to multiple scenarios.

Interview with Michaloliakos

A few weeks before the arrest of Nikolaos Michaloliakos and Christos Pappas at the end of last November, one of the most important Russian economic newspapers, "PbK", published statements by Ilias Kasidiaris that were later followed by an interview with the leader of Golden Dawn, Nikolaos Michaloliakos, on the state radio station "Voice of Russia".

Golden Dawn leader Nikolaos Michaloliakos, Photo: newsit.gr

Wanting to send a message to the Russian public opinion Michaloliakos accused the Greek Prime Minister of having issued a warrant for his arrest and spoke about the trial, which would fully acquit him, however hastening to add, "If the trial were like that of Stalin, Wyszynski and Beria then anything could happen."

Before the Russian media, Michaloliakos denied that Golden Dawn supports neo-Nazism, insisting that "this is a nationalist and anti-capitalist party". He blamed the U.S., NATO and the European Union (something that appeals to Moscow) and spoke of "the brotherly Russian people".

Michaloliakos’ opinion of the return of the drachma is extremely interesting too.  It has many supporters among business representatives, shipping magnates and university teachers in Athens, who, like Golden Dawn, believe that "Greece and Russia are natural allies" and that "Greece should give Russia the outlet on the warm seas, ensuring its national security in return."

The first time Nikolaos Michaloliakos was in Moscow was in the 1990s for the first time and, he visited the city at the invitation of ultranationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky in 1996.

The position of Golden Dawn is not new - it was published back in February 2012 on the front page of the party newspaper under the title of an article by Kasidiaris: "Turning to Russia: Changing the geostrategic orientation as the only possible solution to free the country from the shackles of moneylenders."

The position of the Russian media has significantly changed after the events in Crimea and the visit of Deputy Prime Minister Eleftherios Venizelos. Moscow did not look approvingly on Venizelos’ visit to Kiev and perceived his statements and his meetings with the Ukrainian government as hostile.