Amazing with the opposition’s reactions to the government’s decision regarding the unknown soldier’s monument, on the occasion of the hunger strike carried out by Panos Routsi, the father of one of the 57 victims of the Tempe railway accident, he said, Kostis Hatzidakis.

As he characteristically points out, “the monuments of the heroes are not places for protests”, adding that “anyone who wants to protest in the center of the city has the rest of the center of the capital to do so.”

More specifically the statement by Kostis Hatzidakis:

“Are the monuments, like that of the unknown soldier, a place for all kinds of protest? The answer to us is clear and it is no! The monument of the unknown soldier was created to honor the memory of all our heroes who were sacrificed for our homeland and freedom. And not to accommodate all sorts of protests.

Anyone who wants to demonstrate, complain, organize events has almost all the rest of Greece to do so! Is there a need for all sorts of protests to be organized at a sacred monument to the country? And anyone who wants to complain in the center of the city has the rest of the center of the capital to do so, based on the forecasts of the Constitution and the Laws, as well as the rest of the Syntagma Square! Should protests be well organized on the monument of the unknown soldier?

One was waiting for Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ related initiative to gather the acceptance of all opposition parties. After all, in all countries of Europe and the world, it is inconceivable to have such events above and next to corresponding monuments of honor of their heroes. And yet the opposition parties and all sorts of analysts began to see the government’s alleged anti -democratic tendencies behind this initiative. Is it possible, they say, to assign to the Ministry of National Defense the maintenance, protection and cleanliness of the monument? To whom should it be entrusted, if not to the Ministry of National Defense, which is directly linked to both the Armed Forces and their national struggles and the presidential guard? Also, the Ministry of Citizen Protection is obviously responsible for the class measures, as in all cases.

I am amazed at the reactions of opposition parties and some analysts. I was expecting to show more self -restraint and less party fanaticism. But we are waiting for those who do not miss every opportunity to demonstrate their … patriotic feelings. Or is it nothing patriotic for them when the government does? We’ll find out soon! “