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EGAM congratulates itself of the
decision made by Antonis Samaras to exclude the neo-Nazis from
the Greek delegation to the Council of
Europe. |
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Dear friends,
I am
very proud to announce that, thanks to the mobilization
of numerous people under the leadership of EGAM, there
will not be anymore any neo-Nazis at the Council of
Europe.
Following this email you can find the
Press Release we have just sent, following my meeting
with the Greek Prime Minister Antonis
Samaras.
Please feel free to come back to me for
any
question.
Best,
Benjamin
Abtan
President of the
European Grassroots Antiracist Movement - EGAM
@ : benjami...@yahoo.fr
Cell : +33 7 60 83 20
80
Skype :
benjamin.abtan
Press
release
Athens, Monday, December
17th,
EGAM congratulates itself of the
decision announced by Greek Prime Minister Antonis
Samaras during his meeting with Benjamin Abtan, the
President of EGAM, today in Athens : New Democracy is in
favor of a new composition of the Greek parliamentary
delegation to the Council of Europe without the
neo-Nazis of Golden
Dawn.
This position is the
same as the one previously announced by the parties
Pasok, Democratic Left and Syriza, and it means implies
the exclusion of the neo-Nazis from the Council of
Europe.
For EGAM, it is a
huge democratic victory, which brings a necessary and
salutary political clarification, which be heard in
Greece and in the rest of
Europe.
Greece is now offering an
example to the whole Europe of a country faced with the
most violent social situation but whose leaders have
decided to put the defense of democracy as a top
priority.
Last, this decision allows to
break the dynamic of the neo-Nazi party “Golden Dawn” in
Greece and at the European level, and it reinforces the
European antiracist movement which expressed itself with
strength in the streets of Athens this Saturday,
December 15th, gathering more than 10,000
people for a great antiracist march against
neo-Nazism.
Press & Communication Officer
:
Aline Le
Bail-Kremer
Cell : +33 6 73 06 99
74
@ : aline...@hotmail.com
Together in Europe for
democracy,
against racism,
antisemitism and neo-Nazism
!
European mobilization against
neo-Nazims in Greece
!
In
Greece like elsewhere in Europe, racism, antisemitism
and neo-Nazism are expanding, without any strong and
determined mobilization from the
democrats.
Racist, antisemitic and denying
holocaust speeches as well as the increasing number of
violent behaviours in Greece jeopardize the fundamental
values of democracy, in the very country where it was
born.
This must not be considered as a
« natural » and negligible consequence of the
economic and social crisis that cripples the country,
not only because it is essential for a democratic
society to respect Human Rights, but also because the
crisis will not end tomorrow.
Given today’s
intolerable situation in Greece, we, leaders of the
civil society, intellectuals, artists, citizens involved
in the social and political life, say together and loud
: “Enough !”
Enough racist attacks ! Enough
collusion between the police and Golden Dawn’s neo-Nazi
thugs ! Enough racist, antisemitic and denying holocaust
declarations ! Enough with the passivity of the legal
system ! Enough permissiveness, protection and support
given de facto to the gangsters of Golden Dawn !
They
only thrive on the democrats’ indifference and
weaknesses.
Let us be clear : fighting
racism, antisemitism and neo-Nazism in Greece does not
mean fighting Greece, but fighting this ideology of
hatred spreading across the whole continent.
It means
being part of the great European struggle for democracy.
It means supporting all of these who, elsewhere in
Europe, also take part in this struggle and who need the
democrats to mobilize in Greece. It means offering
everyone, and especially young people, both a hope and a
future, better than the unreachable horizon of debt
repayment. It means keeping the European dream alive,
the dream of a truly democratic continent, cleared of
racism and antisemitism.
In this great and
beautiful fight, Europe must commit itself, since the
European policies imposed on Greece, particularly in
terms of immigration and austerity, create the
conditions for neo-Nazism to spread.
Greek political
leaders must also commit themselves : the malfunctioning
of some state institutions, the indifference and the
support brought de facto to Golden Dawn feed the
permissiveness that make it possible for racist acts and
speeches to multiply.
The whole society must get
involved. All individuals have the responsibility to say
“Enough !”, to make neo-Nazis understand that democracy
imposes boundaries and that the democrats are determined
to have those boundaries respected.
This is
why we call on all the individuals fond of justice,
freedom and equality to join us and to express their
commitment to democracy and their reject of racism,
antisemitism and neo-Nazism, by walking together and
silently, on Saturday, December 15th, at 3pm,
from the Parliament to the
Acropolis.
Benjamin Abtan,
President of the European Grassroots Antiracist Movement
– EGAM, Ahmed Moawia, President of the
Greek Forum for Migrants, Bernard
Kouchner, Former French Minister of Foreign
Affairs, Founder of Nobel Prize Winner Doctors Withour
Borders and Doctors of the World, Younous
Muhammadi, President of the Greek Forum for
Refugees, Dario Fo, Literature Nobel
Prize, Konstantinos Tsitselikis,
Chairman of the Board of the Hellenic League for Human
Rights, Serge Klarsfeld, President of
the “Fils et Filles des déportes juifs de France”,
Petros Markaris, Writer,
Bernard-Henri Lévy, Philosopher,
Takis Theodoropoulos, Writer,
Franca Rame, Actress & author,
Panagiotis Dimitras, Executive Director
of the Greek Helsinki Monitor, Adam
Michnik, Historian, essayist, journalist,
former member of Solidarnosc, Dimitris
Sotiropoulos, Professor at the Athens
University, Angela Scalzo, Secretary
General of SOS Razzismo (Italy), Cindy
Léoni, President of SOS Racisme (France),
Petros Constantinou, National
coordinator of the Movement United Against Racism and
Fascist Threat, Miguel Angel Moratinos,
Former Spanish Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Yannis Panagopoulos, President of
General Confederation of Greek Workers
(GSEE), ADEDY - the
Civil Servants’ Confederation, The
European Trade Union Confederation - ETUC,
Javied Aslam, President of the
Pakistani Community of Greece and Union of Immigrant
Workers, Pakistani Community of Greece, Erika
Muhi, Director of NEKI (Hungary), Lina
Venturas, Professor, University of Peloponnese,
Irene Petropoulou, Adjunct Chairperson
of the Lesbian and Gay Community of Greece (OLKE),
Jovana Vukovic, Coordinator of the
Regional Center for Minorities & Maja
Micic, Executive Director of Youth Initiative
for Human Rights (Serbia), Reza
Gholami, President of the Association of United
Afghan Political Refugees in Greece, Maria
Kouveli, President of the Integration Council
of Athens, Kostis Papaioannou, Former
Chair of the National Commission for Human Rights,
Tanzanian Community in Greece,
Christina Koulouri, Chair of the
History Education Committee of the Centre for Democracy
and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe, Panteion
University, Serdar Yazar, Spokesperson
of the Turkish Union in Berlin-Bandenburg-TBB (Germany),
Greek Center for Refugees,
Froumentios Gadogo Kinya, President of
ASANTE, Nassos Theodoridis, Director of
Antigone, Marian Mandache, Executive
Director of Romani Criss (Romania), Maria
Moumoulidou, Professor at the Thrace
University, i-Red, Kotsias Spryos,
Former President of the Panhellenic Federation of
Railways (POS), El Rapta - Egyptian Association
in Greece, Makis
Leontakianakos, Lawyer, Antidictatorship
movement 1967-1974, Dioscuria – Hellenic
Georgian Union, Cengiz Algan,
Spokesperson of Durde ! (Turkey), Stephanos
Papageorgiou, Professor of Modern History,
Panteion University, Pan-African Association of
Greece, Papachrysanthou Ersi,
President of the Committee against the Offices of Golden
Dawn in Pagrati, Kenyan Community of
Greece, Kari Helene
Partapuoli, Director of the Norwegian
Antiracist Center, Gazmend Kapllani,
Author, Journalist, Cameroonian Association of
Greece, Dimitri Vorris,
Screenwriter, Katarachias Costas,
Member of the Board of the Federation of Unions of
Public health Hospital Doctors, Greek-Indian
Cultural Society, Antonis
Liakos, History Professor at the University of
Athens, Kasia Kubin, Director of the
Foundation Forum for Social Diversity &
Paula Sawicka, President of the Open
Republic Association (Poland), Despina
Papadopoulou, History Professor at the Hellenic
Open University, Nigerian Community in
Greece, Fotelli Peace, Board
Member of PSYPERT, Union of Public TV employees,
Albanian Federation of Associations in
Greece, Anne Nielsen,
President of SOS mod racism (Denmark), Lena
Divani, Writer, Associate Professor of Foreign
Policy at the Law School of Athens, Union of
Sierra Leone in Greece, Makis
Kavouriaris, Professor, President of the Greek
Students’ Association 1967-74, Association of
the Moroccan Community in Greece, Aldo
Merkoci, Director of Mjaft ! Movement
(Albania), Tasos Karasavvoglou,
Professor, TEI Kavala, Organization of United
African Women, Bangladesh Community in
Greece, Miroslav Broz,
President of Konexe & Anna
Sabatova, President of the Czech Helsinki
Committee (Czech Republic), Bulgarian Cultural
Center, Orpheus - Hellenic Moldovan
Association, Alma Masic,
Director of Youth Initiative for Human
Rights (Bosnia), Kyrkos Doxiadis,
Professor of Social Theory at the University of Athens,
Syrians Overseas Association of Greece,
Afghan-Greek Community,
Krassimir Kanev, President of the
Bulgarian Helsinki Committee & Deyan
Kolev, President of the Roma Center Amalipe for
interethnic dialogue and tolerance (Bulgaria),
Nikos Theotokas, Professor at the
Panteion University, Rosofilon Trikala –
Association of Russian-speaking in Greece,
Vasilis Sylaidis, Member of the Athens
Labor Center EKA, Land of the Stork – Ukrainian
Community in Greece, Claudia
Schäfer, COE of ZARA & Alexander
Pollak, President of SOS Mitmensch (Austria),
Hellenic Pakistani Association of
Greece, Greek-Sudanese Friendship
Association, Anhelita
Kamenska, Director of the Latvian Center for
Human Rights (Latvia), Fotini
Assimakopoulou, History Professor at the
University of Athens, Society of Arab Maghreb in
Crete, Tziva Emy, Union of
Bank Employees, Union of Palestinian Workers in
Greece, Maria Velliou,
Galerist, Congolese Community of
Greece, Mario Mazic, Director
of Youth Initiative for Human Rights (Croatia),
Thalia Dragonas, Professor of Social
Psychology at the University of Athens, Somali
Community in Greece, Koukalani
Vasilis, Director-Actor, Ethiopian
Workers Union, Hristo
Ivanovski, President of the Alliance for Human
Rights in Macedonia, Maria
Giannisopoulou, Social Anthropologist,
University of Crete, Libyan Community in
Greece, Dimitri Zotos, Lawyer,
Madagascar Informal Group, Vanu
Jereghi, Director of the Moldovan Institute for
Human Rights (Moldova), Thanassis
Kourkoulas, Sunday School, Georgios
Stamelos, Professor at the University of
Patras, Raba Gjoshi, Director of Youth
Initiative for Human Rights – Kosovo, Evi
Manopoulou, High School Modern Literature and
Classics Teacher, Berezka Cultural
Association, Theofilos
Saltsides, Union of Employees of TAPA, Ministry
of Culture, “Mother Teresa” – Association of
Albanian migrants, Boris
Raonic, President of Civic Alliance
(Montenegro), Charalambos Kasimis,
Professor, Department of Agricultural Economics &
Rural Development, Agricultural University of Athens,
Alien Migrant Association Karditsa,
Network of Migrant Women of Nothern
Greece, Irena Bihariova,
President of Ludia Proti Rasizmu (Slovakia),
Kostas Magos, Lecturer, University of
Thessaly, Arberia – Association of Albanian
Migrants Larissa Prefecture,
Greek-American Democratic Union,
Zola Kundur, President of Chiricli
(Ukraine), Stavroula Lykogianni,
Lecturer in National Technical University oh Athens
(NTUA), The Council for Ethnic Minorities of
Denmark, Katerina Trimi,
Historian, Athens, René Danen,
President of Nederland Bekent Kleur (Netherlands),
Danielle Morichon, Professor &
Translator, Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft der
Immigrantenverbande in Deutschland (BAGIV) –
(Germany), Sia Anagnostopoulou,
Associate professor at the Panteion University in
Athens, Merle Haruoja, Board Member of
the Estonian Institute for Human Rights,
Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, Associate
Professor of Music Education, Department of Early
Childhood Education, School of the Humanities,
University of Thessaly, Minderhedenforum (Belgium),
Loukia Mano – Christidi, Civil Servant,
Anita Ramsak, Director of the
Ekvilib Institute, Chari
Alexaki, EFL + Drama and the Creative Arts in
Education teacher, , Despina
Karakatsani, Assistant Professor Department of
Social and Educational Policy, University of
Peloponnese, National Consultation on Minorities
(Netherlands), Mariam Osman
Sherifay, President of SOS Mot Rasism (Sweden),
Evi Gheorvassaki, Chemist, Doctor in
biology, secondary education teacher, Nikolas
Tsaftaridis, Music Teacher, Department of Early
Childhood Education, University of Athens,
Grigoris Ananiadis, Associate
Professor, Panteion University, Athens, Balias
Efstathios, Associate professor at the
University of Patras, Tasos
Karasavvoglou, Professor at the TEI
Kavala, Georgios Agelopoulos,
Assistant Professor at the University of Macedonia,
Thessaloniki, Maria Dermitzaki, artist,
Vassilis Pesmazoglou, Assistant
Professor at the University of Peloponnese,
Anastasia Dimitriou, Teacher in a
public elementary school of Athens, Athina
Gotsi, Teacher preschool education at the
Ministry of Education, Byron
Kotzamanis, University of Thessaly -
Department. of Planning and Regional Development
Laboratory of Demographic and Social Analyses (LDSA),
Christina Agriantoni, Historian,
University of Thessaly, Athena
Athanasiou, Associate Professor, Panteion
University, Tatiana Koutsougera,
Physical Educator at the Ministry of Education,
Elpida Rikou, Teaching Anthropology of
Art in the Department of Theory and History of Art,
Athens School of Fine Arts. Kallirroe
Linardou, Lecturer in Byzantine Art, Department
of Theory and History of Art, Athens School of Fine
Arts, Anna Triandafyllidou, European
University Institute, Florence, Italy & Senior
Fellow, ELIAMEP, Athens, Antoniou
Evangelia, Lecturer at the University of
Athens, Yannis Papadopoulos, Adjunct
Professor, Panteion University, Dimitris
Parsanoglou, Sociologist, Centre for Gender
Studies-Panteion University of Social and Political
Sciences, Sfingos Dimitris, Musician,
Michael Fefes, Lecturer, University of
Peloponnese, Panos Hatziprokopiou,
Research Fellow, ELIAMEP, Associate Professor, Aristotle
University of Thessaloniki, Ikaros
Mantouvalos, Lecturer of Modern Greek Social
History, Democritus University of Thrace,
Despina Andropoulou, Psychologist,
Anastasia Georgiou, Research Associate
of the Greek Forum of Migrants, Nikolaos
Kourachanis, PhD Student, University of the
Peloponnese, Gabriele Wendt, ex
Assistant, European Community, Thanos
Christidis, EU pensioneer, Elli
Droulia, Library of the Hellenic Parliament,
Nikos Tzanakis Papadakis, postgraduate
Student at the Free University of Berlin, Saeed
Paivandi, Professor of Sciences of Education,
Université de Lorraine - Nancy 2, Anna
Manoussopoulou, Official, European Commission,
Koralia Agapitou, Teacher, preschool
education at the Ministry of education, Michele
De Trucco, Editor and video artist,
Alice Sotgia, Post doc (Sapienza
Università di Roma), Ifigeneia Kokkali, PhD at
University Paris-Est & Institut d'Etudes
Démographiques de l'Université Bordeaux IV,
Anthi Karra, translator at the Council
of the EU, Eleni Varikas, Professeure
Émérite au Centre de Recherche Sociologiques et
Politiques de Paris, Baltsavia Ismini,
Student, Aristoteles University of Thessaloniki,
Bouras Dimitrios, Welder – Private
sector, Michael Löwy, Emerited research director in
social sciences, CNRS (French National Center for
Scientific Research), Ismini
Paraskevopoulou, Civil engineer, Maria
Pallas, Teacher, Experimental High School of
Saloniki, Dora Tsirepa, Full time
housewife, Boura Evangelia, Student in
the Master French-Hellenic Podepro, Bordeaux University,
Rempis Nikolaos, Student (Master 2),
Univ. Bordeaux University, Paschalidis
Adamantios, Freelancer, Stavros
Moutsios, Associate Professor, Aarhus
University, Marcella Milana, Ph.D.,
Associate professor, Department of Education, Aarhus
University, Nadina Christopoulou,
Anthropologist, General Secretary of the board of the
Greek Council for Refugees, Vassia Karkayanni
Karabelia, Historian and art critic, history of
art and Neo-Hellenic civilization professor,
Mariangela Veikou, University of
Peloponnese, Georgia Bechlivanou
Moreau, Lawyer, Human Rights specialist,
Hans Vermeulen, Professor emeritus
University of Amsterdam, Glyn Ford MEP
, Chair European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry into
Growth of Racism and Fascism in Europe (1984-2009),
Bruno Losito, Associate professor
at Roma Tre University, Nikos
Economopoulos, photographer, Magnum,
Thanos Maroukis, Researcher, University
of Bath (UK) and Research Associate, ELIAMEP
(Athens), Sotiris Walldén, Université
Libre de Bruxelles, Norm R. Allen Jr.,
Secretary at the Institute for Science and Human Values
(USA), Ruth Wodak, PhD. Dr. Habil,
Distinguished Professor, Department of Linguistics and
English Language, Lancaster University, Hazara
People International Network, Georgia
Bechlivanou Moreau, member of the Greek
Initiative in Paris, Human Rights Specialist,
Centre for Research of Women’s Issues,
Sophie in 't Veld (Member of the
European Parliament, the Netherlands, SD), Ofer
Bronchtein, President of the Peace Forum,
Greek Centre for Research of Women’s Issues,
Daniela Grabovac, Member of the
Antidiscrimination office Styria (Austria),
Ioanna Babassika, President of the
METAction-Action for migration and Development,
Jonathan Hayoun, President of the
French Union of Jewish Students (UEJF), Cindy
Pétrieux, President of the French student union
Students confederation, Benny Andersen,
contemporary Danish poet, author and song writer,
Nikos Chrysogelos, MEP (Greece, The
Green/EFA), Niels Johnsen, Pensioner,
Ruth Christensen, Farmer,
Justin Ajufo, Veterinarian,
Marianne Olsen, Senior Master,
Laila Bacher, Pensioner, Jørgen
Pallesen, Psychologist, Niels Thure Krarup,
Journalist, Editor, Steen Schultz-Petersen, Senior
Master, Hanne Macsay, Pensioner, Helle
Nielsen, Birthe Højby Nielsen, Senior
Master, Vita Andersen, Librarian,
Jørgen Bing, Actor and town Concillor, Ulla
Frøsig, Senior Master, Viveca
Sjöberg, Interior Designer, Jørgen
Kirkegaard, Senior Master, Kirsten
Kirkegaard, Senior Master, Benno
Arndt, Journalist, Lis
Gilager, Teacher, Helge
Olesen, Senior Advisor, Maj Rørdam
Nielsen, Student, Antinazi
Initiative, OAKKE -
Organisation for the construction of the Communist Party
of Greece, Vicky Skoumbi,
Editor-in-Chief of the Greek revue αληthεια,
co-initiator of the call “Let’s save the Greek people
from its savers !”,…
Supported by Greek
political parties : Pasok,
Syriza, Democratic
Left, the Greens,
Drassi,... | | |
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