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Thessaloniki mayor took an oath with the Star of David

28 August 2014 / 15:08:25  GRReporter
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In defiance of the tradition that has imposed a religious ritual Yiannis Boutaris took a civil oath in taking his second term as mayor of Thessaloniki. In addition, he had decorated the lapel of his jacket with a sheet of paper depicting the Star of David and the inscription "Jude" (Jew) Yiannis Boutaris. Thus, he wanted to recall the Holocaust against 50,000 Jews from Thessaloniki, carried out by Nazi Germany during the World War II. The act of Boutaris was a kind of reaction against the presence of representatives of the extreme right Golden Dawn in the new composition of the Municipal Council in Thessaloniki.

The municipal councillors elected with the same ballot as Boutaris, the representatives of SYRIZA, the Greek Communist Party, the green environmentalists and one independent member took a civil oath as well. The municipal councillors of the other parties took a religious oath and the ritual was performed by Thessaloniki Metropolitan Antimos.

The oath-taking ceremony took place under violent protests organized by representatives of leftist and anti-fascist organizations. They booed deputy and newly elected municipal councillor of Golden Dawn Artemis Mateopoulos when he signed the sworn report. The cry "Fascist" could be heard from one side of the hall and the applauses of Golden Dawn supporters from the other.

"Mateopoule, the prison bars...," cried the left representatives whereas the Golden Dawners, who had formed a human chain around him and escorted him to the exit of the municipality, added to the slogan, "... are for the brave men."

The exchange of slogans continued during the ceremony. A new round of tension started when Mayor Boutaris urged both groups of supporters to stop it.

Both the left and the representatives of anti-racist and anti-fascist organizations responded, saying that they are not representatives of the two political extremes. "Well, you are not the two extremes but this is the hall of the municipal council. You are neither in the stadium nor at a cafe. It is a shame to taint the hall," the mayor said, warning that if the slogans do not stop he will require the police to take them out of the hall.

The left continued shouting that the fascists have no place in the municipal council to obtain Boutaris’ reply, "Some of the Greek people voted for the fascists. Tell those who supported them not to vote for them again."

There were protests during the oath-taking ceremony of the members of the new district council in Attica as well. Before its beginning, members of the anti-racist and anti-fascist movements held a protest march outside the hall. They remained there, along with a group of supporters of Golden Dawn, and there was no wrangling between the two groups.

Photo: kathimerini.gr

The ceremony itself was more than "picturesque" as four different civil and one religious oaths were taken during it. The new governor of SYRIZA, Rena Dourou, added to the formal civil oath that states, "I swear on my conscience to be true to my country, to respect the Constitution and to conscientiously perform my duties," her own text, as follows: "while respecting the principle that all powers come from the people and are implemented by them." The representatives of New Democracy and Golden Dawner Ilias Panayotaros took a religious oath, and Thanos Tzimeros and Kostis Psaradelis of the ReCreate Greece party took a formal civil oath. Thanassis Pafilis of the Greek Communist Party vowed to protect the interests of the people and Despina Koutsoumba of the far-left ANTARSIYA read an oath against the Memorandum of financial support.

Tags: PoliticsCivil oathYiannis Boutaristhe Star of DavidThessalonikiMunicipal CouncilGolden DawnAtticaRena Dourou
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