“Hooliganism can not have a place in our lives,” said the Minister of Citizen Protection Takis Theodorikakos, in his speech at the event of the Administrative Committee of the Electoral District (DEEP) of the New Democracy of Serres.
Referring to the death of 19-year-old Alkis in Thessaloniki, he appealed to the owners of football and basketball teams and sports agents to turn their backs on the effort being made to combat violence in sports venues.
The Minister also referred to the offer of Konstantinos Karamanlis, the legacy he left, the challenges that the country is facing and the Government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis that is building the new era for the country.
The event was attended by the Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Costas Karamanlis, MPs Fotini Arabatzis, Tasos Hadjivassiliou and Theofilos Leontaridis, the Governor of Central Macedonia Apostolos Tzitzikostas, Mayors and local officials.
The speech of the Minister of Citizen Protection in detail:
“It is a special pleasure for me to be among you today, here in Serres, in the heart of our Macedonia, in the birthplace of one of the greatest leaders that Greece has ever given birth to, Konstantinos Karamanlis. This report is neither formal, nor is it related only to the history lessons he taught us, it has a deep connection with the present and the future of the country.
Because the great strategic choices of this insightful leader accompany and lead Greece to today and tomorrow and I am sure they will lead it for many decades. His choice was the accession of Greece to the European Union, a very critical decision for the stability, democracy, economic prospects and the very security and viability of our country. A choice that then, was made contrary to what all the other political forces believed, but also the vast majority of Greeks. His choice was to cross the dividing lines of yesterday, the final end to the era of civil war, a choice that inspires us not to allow any civil artificial division again. His choice was the founding of New Democracy, the great popular faction that kept alive the values ​​that united the Greeks, the faction that made and takes big and bold steps for the changes and reforms that the country needs.
Really, how important is it for us Greeks to realize that we must be united? We are too few to have the luxury of division and discord. Whenever we were divided, calamities and tragedies awaited us. When we joined forces we succeeded in the face of the greatest dangers and difficulties. This is what the New Democracy of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is doing today, as a responsible government of this place in very difficult conditions. For two and a half years now we have been passing through turbulent seas and stormy winds.
The coronavirus pandemic, which unfortunately has caused thousands of victims in our country, the ongoing crisis with Turkey and especially the asymmetric threat that manifested itself in Evros in February and March 2020 and now the global energy crisis and the waves of precision and let me at this point that the days we are going through are certainly difficult and marked by new dangers that may arise from Russia’s very likely military attack on Ukraine, an attack that could trigger new huge problems in economies and certainly not just in economies. In the face of all this, we must be united and implement the government’s plan to succeed and we will succeed.
Despite the crises, the difficulties and the obstacles, two and a half years now, Kyriakos Mitsotakis and this faction together with all the Greeks are building a new Greece. We rely on the truth agreement of the Prime Minister and the New Democracy with the Greek people and the main pillars of the new Greece that our government is building are:
• economic growth, with continuous tax cuts, new commitments already made today by the Prime Minister in this area, attracting investment and creating new important infrastructure in critical areas, part of the government project, infrastructure, which handles very Costas Karamanlis in a creative and effective way, all these two and a half years, with significant successes, with projects all over the country, with multiplier results for the development of the economy, for the jobs, as Greece is constantly improving its image, with the continuous reduction of unemployment and the creation of new sustainable jobs.
• with the second pillar the reform of the state, with new digital infrastructures for its improvement and efficiency and of course for the service of the citizens,
• and third pillar but in my perception not the last, but always first the security, the security of the country, with strong armed forces, capable of preventing, at any time any threat to the country and a police the Greek Police effective, modern and human.
Our policy in the field of public order and protection of citizens, in the field entrusted to me, five and a half months ago by the Prime Minister, is very clear, our message is clear: “Security for all, security everywhere” and we are working to do it act. Because security is a prerequisite for freedom and quality of life. It is a precondition for social progress and economic development. It is an obligation of the organized State and a right of every citizen. That is why we are strengthening the presence of the police in every city, in every neighborhood. We are modernizing the police infrastructure, adding new tools to the women and men who serve the extremely critical security mission. We are proceeding with the digitization of procedures for the better service of the citizen and the release of forces that will be assigned to police duties.
In this context, we exempt the Hellenic Post. and thousands of Greek police officers from the sidelines of the transfer of cases to the citizens, a case which I have discussed with the Prime Minister of the country Kyriakos Mitsotakis and with his assistance and the assistance of colleagues from the Ministry of Justice, Finance and Digital Government I hope to release 1,500 police officers from this sideline so that they can carry out their basic police duties.
A police that we want to regain its prestige in Greek society. That ensures truth, justice, law enforcement and the protection of human life without exceptions and discrimination.
On the first day, after the untold tragedy, of the murder of 19-year-old Alkis in Thessaloniki, there were various voices that the police are not going to find the culprits, that they intend to give gifts to some, because the world of hooligans has relations with the police or that they are unable to find them. All of Greece saw within five days a week that the Greek Police wants, and knows and can do its job and it did in this case and will continue to do so.
And by the way hooliganism can have no place in our lives. Sports teams do not need such hooligan armies no power is a shame. Hooligans have nothing to do with our love of the team, our love of sports. Clubs need young people who are fighting, they need families, the families of all of us who want to go to the stadium to see their favorite sport, in peace, in friendship, in fun and in safety. That’s the only support they need, the only support that makes sense.
I want from this step to express my sadness, my pain, and as a parent, to express my support to the family of this young man, I know that it is the sadness and condolences of every Greek woman and every Greek, the crushing and mourning experience his father and mother. This event which could have happened anywhere. In Athens or any other city in the country. Unfortunately, hooliganism is a phenomenon that threatens both sports and teams and society. It is a scourge that we must deal with. Decisively and without anyone having the right to do what he does not hear and does not see.
In the last five days alone, the Greek Police has closed more than 20 illegal associations that are called fans, but they are not, they have sealed them and they will not reopen. The Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself has dealt with details on the issue and in the coming days new important announcements and commitments will be made by the state to address the phenomenon of violence and hooliganism.
However, I expect that both the owners of the football and basketball teams and the sports agents will decide to turn their backs on this effort, leaving yesterday the teams of hooligans and violence. And I believe that Thessaloniki must now show the beautiful face of the city, with humanity, solidarity, high culture and open horizons and I am sure that there will be initiatives by people who can influence and put into practice what I firmly believe to be The view of almost all Thessaloniki and all Macedonians, football, basketball and sports unite the Greeks and can not divide them into northern and southern or between teams in the same city. We are all Greeks, we are all brothers and we all have to show it with our behaviors. However, this government is determined to make this logic a reality in the field of stadiums as well.
Until the end of the four years, we have one and a half years left, full of challenges and problems, but also expectations and the confidence that we can move Greece forward. This Prime Minister, this faction and this government has proved that it has power, it also has a plan and our faction, it seems to you today everywhere, is completely united and with great dynamics. I remember the words that sealed the founding declaration of New Democracy, the words of the founder of the faction Konstantinos Karamanlis, New Democracy is the faction that chooses and maintains the tradition, only what time has proved correct and useful. And it is constantly moving forward with big, bold, but also safe steps, in the new constantly evolving conditions.
We are next to the citizens, we are an integral part of the Greek people, whom we serve with modesty and responsibility. We are determined, our people now have both knowledge and judgment. We will not allow ourselves to go back to the past of artificial division, misery and demagogy.
We are inspired by the vision of a strong Greece with social solidarity and prospects for all citizens and when the time comes we are sure that the Greek people will make the right choice again: It will give a new victory to New Democracy in the next elections, whenever these are done, in order to continue the necessary changes and reforms and to consolidate the optimism and self-confidence of our people in defiance of the difficulties of our times! “
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