In the case of a memorial event for Greek victims of the Nazi regime, the left politician Konstantopoulou makes for a scandal. The legendary resistance fighter, Glezos has you in the barriers.
Manolis Glezos and Zoe Konstantopoulou
The stand is not in the Protocol: as the German Ambassador Peter Schoof, during a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Nazi massacre of Greek civilians of Distomo a wreath laying wanted, turned to him, a woman dressed in black in the way. “You have no right to. You have to pay the Germans reparations to the victims,” called for the left politician Zoe Konstantopoulou, 2015 as a member of the left-wing government Syriza party briefly President.
The Ambassador of the 94-year-old former resistance fighter Manolis Glezos, however, came to the aid of: He rose from his seat in the first row and led Schoof at the Hand forward so he could place the wreath. The gesture was acknowledged from the audience with “Bravo”. “The child of a criminal, what the crime of his father or his mother, is not responsible for this,” said the in Greece well-known Hero of the resistance against the Nazi occupation.
In the case of the massacre in Distomo on 10. June 1944 the SS-soldiers of 218 people
The fighter on the Left
Zoe Konstantopoulou has always been a striking phenomenon: Powerful stature, a pronounced culture of debate, in-depth knowledge of the law. With fighting spirit and Repartee, the renowned lawyer Zoe Konstantopoulou know to inspire young voters and activists. After the jerk to the left, in Athens in January 2015, the former Syriza was voted the politician to the President of Parliament and head of government Alexis Tsipras warned at the opening session in Public, you’ll embarrassing pay close attention to the observance of the rules of procedure in the house. Seemingly amused, the left Premier responded with a wide Smile. What followed was for all Involved, less amusing: Tsipras took place was his turn to realism, austerity measures in the week to say goodbye. With all the fine of the rules of procedure, the President could delay the controversial legislative process, but not prevent it.
Also in the case of controversial personnel decisions has reported the controversial lawyer to speak: As in the case of the appointment of a new Director for the state broadcaster ERT in the year 2015. Konstantopoulou made it clear that she was the proposed candidate in agreement and asked this to a hearing, which lasted ten hours. Especially tricky it was, as the media Manager, set the (still existing) ban the free participation in public radio in question.
A militant left-wing activist: Zoe Konstantopoulou
“We needed someone who agrees to the piano for the ERT orchestra, but we, unfortunately, couldn’t find anyone, because freelancers are not allowed. This means we need to hire someone for at least a year, so our piano is tuned”, complained the candidate. “If you already have a permanent orchestra of ERT, then you need a employed piano tuner,” Konstantopoulou dry.
Secret Weapon Committee
As the President of the criminal defense lawyer has switched particularly like to attack. Their favorite weapon was the parliamentary Committee. Immediately after taking office, ordered Konstantopoulou a Committee should clarify which part of the Greek state debt is “illegitimate” and “illegal” and for this reason is to be repaid. In addition, a Committee of inquiry should make “responsible” for all the austerity of the past few years track and accountable. Another expert body has been entrusted with the “open reparation claims” against Germany of the second world war. Support got Konstantopoulou in this question, not least because of the legendary resistance fighter Manolis Glezos.
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In 1941, the man of the green island of Naxos, had made a name for himself when he got together with his political companion, Apostolos Santas, the hated swastika flag from the Acropolis. After the war, Glezos became involved with the Communists, later with other left parties and groups – until he was in 2012, when Syriza, the emerging coalition under the leadership of Tsipras, in a political home. Since then, he embodies the Conscience of the Left in Hellas.
A stir and a brief stint with 92 years in the EU Parliament. Again and again Glezos spoke there, to remember the “war debt” of Germany and the current economic plight of Greece – even if the subject in the Strasbourg plenary is a very different. Be shoulder-to-shoulder with the militant President lasted but not for long, because Konstantopoulou has left the ruling left party Syriza in the summer of 2015 in Protest against the ongoing austerity policy. A little later, she founded her own political movement “to fight for the restoration of democracy” in their own country and according to its own information, the reparation claims against Germany. Some of the surveys, see the new party is only just below the Three-percent hurdle for entering Parliament.
Praise for Glezos from the highest authority
Now Glezos and Konstantopoulou will meet again. Ironically, at the memorial service for 73. Anniversary of the SS massacre in the Greek location of Distomo. Their reactions could not have been more different: With regard to not satisfy reparation claims Konstantopoulou blocked the German Ambassador, Glezos is surprising, and leads the Ambassador to the laying of a wreath.
Memorial plaque with the names of the in Distomo murdered Greeks
For this, he gets praise from the highest authority: “Manolis, you’ve got us all how a real resistance representative should behave,” said Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos.
Konstantopoulou also justifies, in retrospect, their actions and attack their former political companions “With his own hands Manolis Glezos has placed the flag of the Occupant at the memorial of the victims”, gifting the former President. It was probably their last protest action.