A democratic state must fully respect the rights and freedoms of its citizens. At the same time, however, it must respect itself. The problem with self-styled anarchists has permutated. It is no longer just groups of hooded youths hijacking mass protests to hurl Motolov cocktails and confront the riot police – a game that really seems to please the local media.

For some time now, these groups have been orchestrating spectacular raids against specific targets that presuppose the existence of an operational plan. The attack on the Culture Ministry is the latest link in a long chain. The failure of authorities to botch such operations, or at least to locate the perpetrators, is fueling a sense of impunity that is extremely dangerous. It encourages them to escalate their activities, which will inevitable trigger a different kind of reaction from the state. The government must take measures before we reach that point.