October 31, 1952
‘WE’LL EVEN FORGIVE BELOYIANNIS’: The outlaws’ radio station yesterday broadcast a revealing interview with Communist Party (KKE) leader Nikos Zachariadis (…), who replied to the question of whether, as followers of the EPEK party and (former Prime Minister Nikolaos) Plastiras were wondering, the Communist Party was supporting everyone who agreed to adopt a platform of independence, democracy and peace and whether this included EPEK leader Gen. Plastiras. ZACHARIADIS’S REPLY: «Of course it concerns EPEK leader Gen. Plastiras. We know this is not the first time. Gen. Plastiras, using various excuses, has rejected truly democratic proposals in the strangest way and has always managed, and is still managing, to work with reactionaries of the Right. Moreover, Gen. Plastiras has always flirted with the Left, while demanding that this be done in secret, without the knowledge of the Right, which he said would be harmful. Of course it would, but not in the way he meant, for the damage would be to democracy and the people. Today, Gen. Plastiras cannot claim that he cannot work openly in the elections with the KKE, for there is no question of this. The KKE, as everyone knows, is not contesting the election (…). Let Plastiras proclaim democratic unity, independence and peace and all Greece will follow him, and then Papagos will be finished once and for all. (…) And we will even forgive Plastiras for (the execution of Nikos) Beloyiannis.»
