Thessaloniki Mayor Yannis Boutaris called on Greece’s political parties to condemn violence, just two days after a mob attacked him and beat him in the city.
Boutaris was addressing the City Council, which gave him a huge round of applause upon his arrival in the chamber.
“I call upon political parties to unite on the obvious – the condemnation of violence in the battle to preserve democratic dialogue and understanding. We must do an accounting of who supports democratic dialogue and rules and who supports the jungle and violence,” he said.
The session was attended by To Potami leader Stavros Theodorakis and Katerina Notopoulou, the head of the PM’s Thessaloniki office.
Boutaris said his attackers were organised fascists. “Those who attacked me had nothing to do the Day of Memory of the Pontian Greek Genocide. I know who they are. Organised fascists attacked me as a person and as mayor,” he said.
“We must all work together to break this abscess, to eradicate fascism, open or hidden. We will not allow a return to the era of Gotzamanis [who in 1963 murdered leftist MP Grigoris Lambrakis],” he said
“Thessaloniki must become the most democratic city in the world. Whoever disagrees can vote us out of office in October, 2019. Through elections and not through violence and thuggish behaviour,” Boutaris underlined.
