Event in Brussels for the 100th anniversary of the birth of Manolis Glezos – A hall of the European Parliament was named after him

Honorary event for the 100th anniversary of Manolis Glezou’s birth was held in Brussels, in the presence of President Roberta Metsola, SYRIZA President Alexis Tsipras and PASOK President Nikos Androulakis.

New Democracy was represented by the head of the Eurogroup, Vangelis Meimarakis, with his message broadcast via video. KKE MEP Kostas Papadakis was also present.

Tsipras: Symbol of struggle against fascism

I am very moved because I believe that today is a historic day for the European Parliament. Because the European Parliament pays honor, maximum honor, not just to a Greek politician, not just to a Greek fighter, but to an important European, to a European symbol of resistance and struggle for social justice, to a symbol of struggle against fascism. And this is a great and historic moment for the European Parliament and not only for Manolis Glezos and all of us who are in this room.

Manolis Glezos for all of us was not just a symbol, but our history itself. The face of a struggling Greece. The mind of a Greece that envisions. The soul of a Greece that never submits to authoritarianism.

If one moment were his whole life – others also mentioned this moment – it would be that night, where together with Lakis Santa, with a very large dose of ignorance of danger as he had confided to us many times, young children, 18 years old if I am not mistaken, they took down the banner of the horror of Nazism from the holy rock of the Acropolis.

But this courage, the drive and the sparkle in Manolis’ eyes remained the same even when he was 80 and 90 years old. Why; Because I believe that this courage of Manolis Glezos came from his ideas. From faith in his ideas. From his deep belief that Democracy, Freedom and Justice are inviolable principles for human existence itself. And after all, he dedicated his whole life to them.

You will remember many of you who were here in the European Parliament in the last term, when he spoke passionately about war reparations, German reparations, he spoke on behalf of the German people, about the reparation of injustice by the German people and not by part of the Greek people.

He passed on these principles, not only to us, his comrades, I believe, not only to progressives and leftists, but to an entire people, the Greek people, with his example, but also to all the peoples of Europe and the world.

Because Manolis was certainly a socialist, a leftist, but above all he was national, he was universal. It was a symbol of struggle and assertion against injustice, against fascism, for all the peoples of the world.

But be careful. Manolis did not live to be a proud symbol of yesterday, but to always be useful in his daily struggles today and tomorrow. In the discussion, in the intense verbal dispute, in the action, in the struggle, in the mobilization, in the streets, everywhere. He was always at the forefront. And this, if you like, is also his most important teaching. Nothing is taken for granted in a world where oppression and authoritarianism are always looking for a way to impose themselves. Nothing is given away in a world built with the materials of exploitation and injustice, but everything is earned through daily struggles.

Manolis Glezos leaves us a heavy legacy with his actions, but also a great idea. That the world can change if we fight passionately for it, but also if we all join forces for it, putting aside existing differences. And this legacy I think is more relevant today than ever. Our guide to the new battles against the darkness of the extreme right and totalitarianism that threatens again today to turn the clock of Europe back decades.

This is the great dividing line. which unfortunately even today, after decades, emerges as a necessity in a threatened Europe. And it is no coincidence that today we are all here to honor Europe’s first partisan, at the same time that some others are turning a blind eye and legitimizing the rise of the far right to power in crucial European countries.

I would say that honoring Manolis Glezos is today for all of us here, a duty identical to the duty to defend our values. Of common progressive European values. Freedom, Democracy, Justice.

Once it took heroes like Manolis to defend these values ​​and drag the cart of history forward again. Today it is the duty of all of us to never again need heroes like Manolis in the future and for Europe to stay on the path of Democracy, Peace and progress. This I believe is our duty, and this the greatest honor to his memory, if we all work to fulfill this duty.

Thank you.

Androulakis: Compass the political legacy of Glezos

Today, 100 years since the birth of Manolis Glezos, the European Parliament honors him. Something that unfortunately the conditions of the pandemic did not allow the Greek people. I am sure that otherwise hundreds of thousands would have accompanied him to his final abode.

Throughout his life he never hesitated for a moment to fight for his ideals, no matter how powerful the opponent.

Charles de Gaule had described him as the first partisan of Europe. It started from Apeiranthos in Naxos and developed into one of those unique forms that marked the recent history of our homeland.

The collective memory will forever remain indelible the night of May 30 to 31, 1941, when together with the Apostle Santa, they climbed the rocks of the Acropolis, to take down the swastika, the hated symbol of death, torture, the holocaust of the Second World War.
A symbolic act that gave courage to occupied Athens.

Despite his rich resistance action for the independence of our country, the post-gender state prosecutes him and does not hesitate to sentence him to death.

He spent 16 whole years of his life in exile and prison, fighting for democracy and social justice.
He was one of the charismatic personalities whose popular acceptance far exceeded narrow party boundaries.

Manolis Glezos was a member of parliament and president of the EDA.

And being consistent in his dates with the history of the place, he could not miss the great victory of Change in 1981.
Elected to the Greek Parliament with PASOK, in the country’s first socialist government, he contributed to Andreas Papandreou’s historic initiative for the recognition of national resistance and the restoration of national reconciliation in Greece.

A fact that shows the size of the man is that while as an MEP continuing his fight for the German debts to Greece and coordinating our parliamentary groups here in Brussels, he did not hesitate in the summer of 2017 to give that wreath to the German ambassador, in monument of executed inhabitants of Distomos wanting to send a resounding message for a Europe of peoples, of peaceful coexistence and progress.

Ladies and gentlemen,

In an era where the extreme right is menacingly strengthening and authoritarian leaders are trampling on international law, dignity and human rights, Glezos’ political legacy is a compass for every democrat and progressive citizen.
In one of his last public appearances in 2018, on the five-year anniversary of the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, by the neo-Nazi criminal organization of Golden Dawn, Manolis Glezos went to Court alongside his family, sending a strong anti-fascist message.

When he was once asked about the secret of his long life, he stated that he also lived for his lost comrades.
“Before every battle,” he said characteristically, “we would get together and chat. And we would say: If you live, don’t forget me. If the volley doesn’t find you, when you meet people on the street, you’ll say good morning from me too. And when you drink wine, you will drink wine for me too.”

This concern of his for the collective good and solidarity remains today, not just a topical issue for our societies, but a vital need.

Friends,

The enemies of the Republic and our peoples are at the door.

Who expected in the 21st century that we would have a war in the heart of Europe with millions of refugees and thousands of dead because of Putin’s barbaric and illegal invasion of Ukraine?

Who expected that the apologists of the authoritarian regimes that led to the destruction of humanity, would gain political ground in many states of Europe?

Whoever forgets the past is lost and has no future, Glezos said.

And in order for the peoples of Europe to have a future of perspective and prosperity, we must not only honor the struggles fought by people, such as our beloved colleague Manolis Glezos, but above all be inspired by them in our own struggle for peace, democracy and progress.

Read the News today and get the latest news.
Follow Skai.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news.