Published in the Sunday edition of the Greek newspaper TO VIMA, October 11, 2020:

I never doubted… Probably due to the fact that I am not a lawyer or just because of it.

To this day my way of thinking relies upon a combination of history and current data consideration – yet, I never ignore my instinct… And on this occasion there was perfect concordance between critical thinking and instincts that Greek Justice would convict the neo-Nazi party.

Indeed, Justice concluded its mission –an onerous task of high significance- and ruled that Golden Dawn is a criminal organization and that its leadership is not blameless of its member’s activity. This verdict was very rightfully described as a “historic” one and a “landmark decision”. Epic, I would add.

With the representation in Parliament of the neo-Nazi group, our Democracy suffered a strong blow. Eight years later, with the outcome of the trial, Justice showed how strong the foundations of Democracy are in our country because they are built upon the principle of the respect of Human Rights.

The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece welcomes the historic verdict of the Greek Justice that delegitimizes the neo-Nazi organizations and at the same time fortifies Democracy in the country. Today’s court decision seals the truth of the matter: the magnitude of the danger the neonazi organizations represent while they exploit patriotism in order to disseminate hatred and promote obscurantism.

After the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, the violent attacks, the Nazi salutations in the Parliament, the Holocaust denial, the racist violence and the vandalism of Jewish sites, the Greek Jews express their satisfaction that the Greek Justice -following thorough and exhaustive consideration- defined the true face of the neo-Nazi organization. Nonetheless, we must not forget that in the past this organization had gained the trust of thousands of our compatriots and its leadership had seats in the Greek Parliament.

Having witnessed the horrors of Nazism, that counted 6 million victims of the Holocaust, the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece, since day one of their election, in 2012, had publicly stressed the dangers looming over Democracy and the need to combat the neo-Nazi organizations at all levels of public life.

Their delegitimization by the Greek Justice and their definition as “criminal organizations” does not mean that we let our guard down. On the contrary, it encourages the battle against Nazism so that the serpent’s egg will never be reborn in Greece.

Athens, October 7, 2020

Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece