Parties condemn raid on New Democracy HQ but some disputes emerge
Monday’s pre-dawn raid on New Democracy’s headquarters in Athens have been roundly condemned by Greece’s parties, although there were some disputes between New Democracy and SYRIZA in particular.
Apart from coalition parties PASOK and Democratic Left, all of Greece’s opposition parties: SYRIZA, Independent Greeks, Golden Dawn and the Communist Party condemned the attack through written statements and comments by their MPs in Parliament.
Police believe that two gunmen fired at least nine shots at the building on Syngrou Avenue in southern Athens, where New Democracy has its main offices. Nobody was injured in the attack, which occurred when the headquarters were empty, but a bullet from the Kalashnikov assault rifle used in the raid was found in Prime Minister Antonis Samaras’s office.
PASOK leader Evangelos Venizelos also spoke to Samaras. In a statement, PASOK called for parties and Greek society to unite behind the condemnation of all forms of violence.
SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras called Samaras to express his sympathy and ask for a full investigation into the attack.
SYRIZA spokesman Panos Skourletis suggested that the attack was distracting from the pressing issues facing Greece.
His parliamentary colleague and WWII hero, Manolis Glezos, prompted the ire of coalition lawmakers when he said that the left had nothing to gain from such attacks and wondered whether “para-state” forces close to New Democracy were involved in the raid.
This prompted New Democracy deputy Makis Voridis to immediately reject such accusations and claim that all those convicted or held on suspicion of terrorist acts in Greece were anarchists or members of the extreme left.
Venizelos said he was “astonished” by Glezos’s comments.
