Tightening the collar around the Golden Dawn with retirements in the Police force

The cuts in the leadership echelons of the Hellenic Police, whose officers were charged with negligence in dealing with the criminal action of the Golden Dawn, shows the determination of the Greek government to dismantle the violent neo-Nazi organization that threatens the country’s social stability and political normalcy.

Simultaneously, the government team invests in the ongoing criminal investigation by the Supreme Court in order to legally seal the character of the Golden Dawn as a criminal organization. The relevant authorities will start with deposits by reporters.

Government officials from the New Democracy, as Justice Minister Charalambos Athanassiou, rely on the research that has been started and hope it will be completed very soon in order for them to reject the request for the convening of meetings of political leaders, as expressed by Alexis Tsipras and Fotis Kouvelis.

"The government is opposed to the convening of the meeting of political leaders as Justice has initiated its institutional action. There is no objection to a debate in parliament," government spokesman S. Kedikoglou said, a perspective with which the Communist Party of Greece has agreed.

Earlier, Tsipras had expressed his distress about the negative attitude of the Prime Minister and announced an initiative for a plenary session in the parliament, also dismissed by the government. The press office of SYRIZA in a statement claimed that this attitude “raises legitimate questions and exposes the prime minister.”

DIMAR chairman Fotis Kouvelis expressed his opposition to governmental tactics as well saying that "we do not need attitudes like those that lead us to not passing the anti-racist law. Certainly justice will do its part but there must be a political response to the promotion of fascism of our society."

PASOK in favor of the meeting

PASOK is in favor of meeting of political leaders. Its president Evangelos Venizelos called the President of the Republic on Sunday evening to ask him to take initiatives towards it, as in New York, where he is for the UN General Assembly, most interlocutors gave greater emphasis to the criminal behavior Nazis than the economic crisis experienced by Greece.

Republic President Karolos Papoulias has agreed with the observations of Tsipras for the expression of political will to address the threat of fascism. "From a toddler I fought fascism and Nazism. My supreme duty is to defend the Greek people from the coming whirlwind," Papoulias said.

"All this time we had a snake hidden in our bosom. Some thought it was a little snake and now are surprised," Tsipras commented suggestively for the government, adding that "it's time for the State to deal with it and there is a legal framework for it."

Today Papoulias will meet with Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias, parliament president Evangelos Meimarakis and Justice Minister Charalambos Athanassiou. The ministers are expected to inform him on the governmental initiatives to tackle the Golden Dawn.