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Anastasia Balezdrova

The arrest of Golden Dawn’s leader and the initiation of the investigation of its criminal activities have provoked extensive reports on the subject in the majority of the Greek media. In some cases, the judicial authorities have formally requested the published interviews with former members of the extremist party in order to include them in the official investigation.

However, the situation was very different before the turning point with the murder of rap singer Pavlos Fyssas. Few media had dared to openly criticize the wrongdoings of the Golden Dawners and a number of newspapers and TV stations had even presented some of the leading figures in a positive light.

Today GRReporter presents an analysis of the developments by Xenia Kounalaki, head of the International News Department in the major Greek daily newspaper, Kathimerini. Probably she is the first journalist who did not hesitate to call Golden Dawn by its true name even before it entered the Greek Parliament. In her article entitled "Banality of evil" which was published last April Xenia Kounalaki states that since Golden Dawn has not been prohibited by law, despite the criminal activities of many of its members, the only option of fighting it is through a media campaign to show its true face. In response she was threatened by Golden Dawn with the phrase "Kommt Zeit, kommt Rat, kommt Attentat" which means "The time is coming, the warning is coming, the attack is coming."

The interview was conducted by e-mail.

The criminal activities of Golden Dawn were not a secret, especially after the election of the party as a member of parliament. Why was the government late in taking action? What has activated the institutions?

I do not like the conspiracy stories and the different assumptions, especially on the part of the left wing, that the government has taken action as a result of pressure from abroad. Surely, the catalyst was Pavlos Fyssas’ murder and the realization that Golden Dawn is a criminal organization with which no agreement can be reached. Indeed the state institutions were rather late in taking action but we have to admit that their response is exemplary albeit delayed. It seems that the Prime Minister is determined to put an end to the arbitrary acts of Golden Dawn and its suspicious ties with the police and the army, as well as to the malignant formation called racism, since he has again initiated a discussion on the adoption of a law against it. I think we need to overcome the differences between us, the inhibitions and distrust, and to support these efforts very bravely and regardless of our political positions. Only in this way, by being united, will the constitutional arc be able to defend and protect the democratic way of governance.

How would you explain the fact that, as shown by polls, Golden Dawn has not lost the percentage which had supported it in the elections, and that it remains the third political force?

We should note that it is not easy to discredit a party which has such a significant impact on Greek society as that achieved by ​​Golden Dawn in recent months. We cannot expect that the support for it will collapse from double-digit percentages to 2 per cent in just a few days. However, I believe that the message has already been sent. Its incorrigible supporters can no longer rely on the argument that they do not know what the party actually is. They know that it is a bunch of murderers, extortionists, neo-Nazis, etc. and therefore, if they vote for them again they will have to bear the burden of complicity.

On the other hand, we have to note the fact that a part of the electorate has clear right-wing views and these people have found party shelter in the face of Golden Dawn. The crisis and the discrediting of the political system were the reasons for other people, who have nothing to do with this ideology, to vote for it since they believed that this vote would be an expression of their opposition to the system. If the confidence in institutions and parties is not restored and if political forces aiming to modernize Greek society do not appear, Golden Dawn will continue to exist on the political map, even with less support.

What actions need to be taken by the political system and society as a whole in order for the phenomenon called Golden Dawn to be eradicated?

This is a very complex process. Things will not be over if someone suggests 3-4 solutions. We see, for instance, that the xenophobic and far-right party in France, the National Front, is stronger than ever on the eve of the elections of members of the European Parliament after 15 years of decline in its influence. The same phenomenon is observed in many countries in Northern Europe, from Austria to Norway. However, in no other country are these parties so enmeshed with violence as Golden Dawn.

Here we must draw a red line between it and all other parties because free expression is one thing, and crime is something quite different. The actions of Golden Dawn refer to the provisions of the Criminal Code. In addition to the sanitary zone which the other parties must form, the role of the media and the educational system is crucial too. The media should continue their very good work after the breakup of Golden Dawn, namely the serious investigative reports, and should avoid the yellow journalism that presents the party in a positive light and makes it look nice. Teachers should discuss the matter in detail with their students, directly or indirectly, by discussing the events of the Holocaust, for example. Education in Greece should cease to be ethnocentric, intolerant and shortsighted, it should open up to the world and teach tolerance to differences.

How would you comment on the position of the media towards Golden Dawn? The majority of them had presented the criminal acts of its members before Pavlos Fyssas’ murder.

My previous answer is the answer to this question too but I must add that, unfortunately, few media had presented the Golden Dawners’ criminal activities before Fyssas’ murder. The majority of the media were unprepared to deal with such a serious topic. After the murder we witnessed a vigorous boom of journalism, which is particularly encouraging. When they want to, my colleagues can perform miracles. However, we should be very careful because if Golden Dawn is overexposed this could reduce the response of viewers and readers, and gradually lead to their obsession over the topic. Anyway, we are already aware of everything, namely of the training by people who skinned animals, the attacks on immigrants, the mafia rackets, the funny propaganda which is inconsistent with actual history. Now a more thorough analysis of the reasons which have taken the majority of the electorate to Golden Dawn is necessary as well as solutions ...

Probably Nikos Michaloliakos will be convicted and he will remain in prison. Who do you think would lead the party after him? Would his wife, daughter or someone else take his place?

I do not want to answer that question and I am not interested in the transfer of the leadership of a criminal organization.

A few days before Pavlos Fyssas’ murder a journalist had said that "a more serious" Golden Dawn could be a coalition partner of New Democracy within a future government. Do you think that Golden Dawn could give up its criminal activities, undergo a transformation and remain on the political scene?

I am aware of this scenario which is circulating in journalistic circles. This view was expressed for the first time before Fyssas’ murder and refuted by events in the saddest manner. The term "serious Golden Dawn" is an oxymoron since its leadership and rules prove that it is a criminal gang.

Probably New Democracy wants the establishment of a far right party which has nothing to do with the use of violence and which will shelter the supporters of the extreme national right wing. That is, a party similar to LAOS, which would be a potential government partner, accounting for the low rates of PASOK's popularity in polls. I think that, through its actions, the ruling party has dispelled any doubt about a possible dalliance with Golden Dawn.