No country can be governed if its citizens do not respect the law.

So far, the tolerance demonstrated by Greek politicians toward lawlessness and the use of violence as a means of protest has proved catastrophic.

Citizens, trade unions and local communities who are so convinced they are right feel entitled to use violence, not to mention block streets, military camps and factories, and turn Greek into a jungle.

This is even more true now, during the ongoing crisis. As extremism, both left- and right-wing, prevails, the phenomenon is taking an out-of-control dimension which is threatening democracy and the country’s future as a whole.

Public Order Minister Nikos Dendias rightly stated that he will not tolerate raid brigades and that the state must show zero-tolerance toward arbitrariness and violence. Otherwise the country will veer even further toward the kind of conditions which will make it resemble countries like Lebanon. We cannot allow this to happen.