The mayor of Athens, Haris Doukas, has announced to the courts that he will appeal for the entrustment of the cleaning of the monument of the Unknown Soldier to a private person, hardening his conflict with the government.

As he states in his announcement: “Mr. Marinakis confirmed that, with the well-known amendment, the responsibility for cleaning the Unknown Soldier belongs to the Ministry of National Defense and will be assigned to INDIVIDUALS. As it goes without saying, The Municipality of Athens will appeal to the competent courtswith based on article 102 of the Constitution».

The reaction of the Ministry of National Defense was immediatewhich answers how “after what was communicated in the public debatethe ministry is not going to allow the Monument of the Unknown Soldier to be degraded in any way. He will do whatever is required for this and he is not going to come back to this discussion.”

It is noted that on Friday morning, in an interview with Mr A government spokesman was approached for comment the statements of the mayor of Athens who wished good luck to the Minister of National Defense.

“First I start with ‘good luck.’ I think Mr. Doukas needs to address the “good luck” to the citizens of Athens and to those who move around Athens from the day of his election until the next elections. Now from there and beyond, the essence is also in the latest announcement of the Ministry of Defense, that in the way that operationally it will evaluate as the best, it will take care of cleanliness, part of the care is cleanliness, as well as for the highlighting of the monument and from there on I think the most critical in the short term and from now on, I said it yesterday, is the work that the Greek Police must do once again with absolute professionalism, in order to to guard the implementation of this provision and not allow any well-wisher, so-called solidarity, I am referring to the political parties that always go to create tensions, to nullify the amendment in practice. These are the critical things, these are of interest to society”said Pavlos Marinakis.

It is recalled that yesterday, Thursday, the Ministry of National Defense announced that: “We cannot allow the degradation of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. According to article 102 of the Constitution and according to the law, the exclusive responsibility for cleanliness belongs to Local Government and in particular at the Monument to the Unknown Soldier belongs to the Municipality of Athens.

After his public placement Mayor of Athens that according to himthe responsibility for the Monument rests exclusively with the Government“, the Ministry of National Defense cannot allow the degradation of the place of memory and honor of those who fought for the Nation and the Homeland.

Accordingly, it will proceed with its assignment cleaning of the premises to a third party, for as long as required.

As the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, has pointed out in his recent statement, respect for the dead of the National Games and for History is a collective duty and responsibility of all of us”.

Before the announcement of the Ministry of National Defence, there had been a meeting between Mr. Dendias and Mr. Doukas.

“During the meeting, I reiterated my familiar positions regarding the Monument to the Unknown Soldier. According to what the Prime Minister stated in the Parliament and based on the amendment that was voted, from today the responsibility of taking care of the Monument and environment belongs exclusively to the government. Good luck to them», wrote the mayor of Athens afterwards.