According to Greek resources, the deputy of the Russian State Council of Crimea, Ivan Shonus, who calls himself the leader of the Crimean society of ethnic Greeks, and Georgy Muradov, deputy prime minister and representative of Crimea under the President of Russia, appointed by Moscow, supported and welcomed the creation in Greece of a new political party “Democratic Movement for National Liberation (DIKEA)” . The party announced its participation in the country’s parliamentary elections in April this year. Among the goals proclaimed by the party are rapprochement with Russia, the exit of Greece from the European Union and NATO, the rejection of the euro and the return to the national currency.
What DIKEA is, why and by whom its support from Crimea and Russia is organized, and whether the actions of the Kremlin’s influence in Hellas will be able to change the political situation in Greece and in Europe as a whole – in the material Krym.Realii.
The leftists of Greece “play” with the letter “Z”
July 19, 2022 on the website with the symbolic name “Iskra” of the former Minister of Industrial Reconstruction, Environmental Protection and Energy of Greece (January-July 2015) in the government of the leftist SYRIZA party and the head (until June 2019) of the Popular Unity – Insubordinate Left “(“LA.E. – A.A.”) Panagiotis Lafazanis, the poster of the “Democratic National Liberation Movement” appeared for the first time. On the poster was placed the inscription “Russia is right!” and the Latin letter “Z”. This news was widely broadcast and discussed by the media and social networks of Russia and Greece.
In the Greek society preparing for the parliamentary elections, the new pro-Russian ideas of Panagiotis Lafazanis were not rejected, the authorities did not react to the slogans put forward by him.
Using the letters “Z” and “V” to indicate support for a Russian invasion of Ukraine can be a criminal offense in Germany, but illegal in Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Moldova, and Ukraine. In a number of countries in Europe and Asia, authorities have initiated investigations into the facts of the public display of these symbols.
Party system in Greece: Lafazanis accuses of total corruption
“The parties that are in the top three according to polls in Greece (ND – the ruling Neo-democracy, SYRIZA, PASOK-KINAL Coalition) do not have ideological affinity. ND is a right-wing conservative party, SYRIZA is a left-wing radical party, and PASOK is a social democratic party. PASOK, which is part of the opposition wing, previously considered SYRIZA its rival, not the ND. However, this attitude seems to have changed recently,” Turkish columnist Sevinch Balci wrote in September 2022 for the Ankara Center for Crisis and Policy Studies.
In December 2022, Vice-President of the European Parliament, a Greek politician from PASOK, Eva Kaili, was arrested in Belgium. She is accused of corruption, membership in a criminal organization and money laundering – the accused was found to have a significant amount of money kept in cash, including in her father’s suitcase. PASOK has expelled Eva Kylie from its ranks.
Deputy Head of the European Parliament Eva Kaili
According to Panagiotis Lafazanis, the case in the European Parliament is indicative, and Kylie’s “bags” of money are the norm in the political system of Greece, and not some rare exception.”
Elections to be held in Greece: Lafazanis changes poster
“The elections will be held in the spring, in fact, at the moment when we are practically exhausting our four-year term,” Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in January. The mandate of the Greek government is issued for four years, the term for the current composition ends on July 7th.
Already on January 18, Panagiotis Lafazanis, against the backdrop of a new poster of his movement – now in the colors of the Russian flag – announces the kick-off meeting of DIKEA, scheduled for January 29. And on January 24, another poster appears and another announcement for the same date: about holding a joint founding meeting of two political movements in one of the central hotels in Athens: DIKEA and the Pan-Greek Movement of Greek-Russian Friendship, headed by Ioannis Kotsailidis, a longtime friend of the Crimean collaborators and “people’s diplomats” from the “Russian world”.
As follows from the photo report, a small meeting took place, and a new party, DIKEA, was founded in the capital of Greece by the two founders.
“All levels of Russian propaganda are visible in Greece, Lafazanis is one of them”
Greek journalist Kostas Onisenko, in his comments for Krym.Realii, pointed to a wide range of national political forces in Greece that are ready to accept the narratives of multifaceted Russian propaganda. Together, such forces solve a number of problems: work in parliament, as well as the role of centers of attraction for radical forces for street activity and pressure on the government and society.
Kostas Onisenko, Greek journalist
“Apart from the ruling Neo-Democratic Party, the rest of the parties represented in the Greek Parliament are either openly or latently pro-Russian. The party of Lafazanis, according to opinion polls, does not overcome the 3% barrier to gain seats in parliament. Nobody supports Russia if they don’t receive specific dividends for it. This man is quite rich and belongs to the natives of the first two years of the reign of SYRIZA. Russia’s “Greek case” is very interesting. All Russian propaganda that works in Europe and is noticeable now, has worked in Greece for at least 5-10 years and had a stronger effect. If you observe systematically, then in Greece you can see all levels of Russian propaganda. Ranging from the extreme left, which opposes the “Banderites”, and the left, which says that they “oppose NATO – the source of the war”, to liberal movements based on “self-interest with Russia opposing Turkey.” Moscow is preparing tools and arguments for each audience: for certain categories of people, for use simultaneously around the world and only for the Greek public. Lafazanis is one of the gradations. He manages to impress as he openly displays the symbol “Z”, but I think this is not the biggest risk in terms of getting electoral support for him,” the expert said.
Of those who will vote for the new party, a certain number of repatriates and immigrants will be recruited
Maxim Yali
Professor of the Department of International Relations of the National Aviation University (Kyiv), political scientist and international affairs specialist Maksim Yali told the Crimean journalist. there were large Greek settlements.
“All these actions will not have any impact on Greece. From Russian-speaking Internet resources and from migrants, no one, in principle, will learn about them, except for narrow groups of people. Relatively speaking, of those who will vote for the new party, there will be a certain number of repatriates and immigrants. But such, small, unrecognized quasi-representatives of the Greek public will in no way be able to influence the results of the elections,” Maxim Yali is sure.
Maxim Yali, Professor of the Department of International Relations of the National Aviation University (Kyiv), political scientist in international relations
Maxim Yali, Professor of the Department of International Relations of the National Aviation University (Kyiv), political scientist in international relations.
“Greece is the mother of democracy, and almost half of the Greeks support Ukraine”
“According to the Eurobarometer, Greece, together with Bulgaria, is in last place in terms of support for Ukraine. 48% of the Greek population supports Ukraine in this war. Less than half of the Greeks, but this is a lot, compared to what happened a year ago, when most Greeks did not really delve into this topic, knowing or hearing superficial information – 80% Russian propaganda. Greece is the mother of democracy and the offal “freedom of speech”. In Greece it is very difficult for someone to ban something in terms of statements. This also applies to the use of certain symbolism by Lafazanis. If he finds a way to spend significant funds on the election race, he may enter parliament: everything depends on money and relations with local media. In Greece, there are 5-6 people who own these media outlets, as well as tanker ships that transport Russian oil from Novorossiysk to Greek ports,” said Kostas Onisenko.
In accordance with the conclusions of the BlackSeaNews editorial monitoring group and the Institute of the Black Sea Strategic Studies (Kyiv), “among the EU + countries in January 2023, Greece traditionally remained the largest importer of Russian oil products (as well as Russian crude oil”).
I will say that it can “sprout” from Russian propaganda and give a result, this is an economic argument
Kostas Onisenko
“Moscow is trying to enter Greece with various issues: Greek-Turkish contradictions, the Greek minority, Crimea, World War II, the Immortal Regiment, church affairs. The main pro-Russian forces are in the north of Greece: from the city of Thessaloniki to the city of Alexandroupolis. I will say that it can “sprout” from Russian propaganda and give a result, this is an economic argument. And Russia will hit on this not only in Greece, but throughout Europe, especially its south – the Balkans. All other topics are secondary,” summed up Kostas Onishchenko.
Pontic and Crimean Greeks fell under the influence of Ivan Savvidi
Kostas Onisenko expressed the opinion that since the late 2000s, Ivan Savvidi, a native of Georgia of Greek origin, began to play a special role in the life of the Pontic and Crimean Greeks. He is a former deputy of the State Duma, coordinator of its inter-parliamentary deputy group for relations with the Greek Parliament, president of the Association of Greek Public Associations of Russia, coordinator of the Council of Greeks Abroad and the owner of the Greek football club PAΟΚ (Thessaloniki).
In December 2022, the Greek press confirmed the “privileged and close personal relationship” of the vice-president of the European Parliament, Eva Kaili, detained for corruption, with the “Russian-Greek magnate” Ivan Savvidi.
According to statistics, there are 2500-3000 Greeks left in Crimea and, of course, there is this odious Olga Kovitidi
Kostas Onisenko
“He began to invest heavily in all societies of Pontic repatriates in the territories of the countries of the former USSR. Then – and in Greece. He also had a personal interest, which later developed into a “political” one. In 2016, it was he who told Putin how to “engage the global Greek diaspora to promote Russian interests abroad.” According to statistics, there are 2,500-3,000 Greeks left in Crimea, and there is, of course, this odious Olga Kovitidi, who is the Russian senator from Crimea, but most of the Greek societies are in the Azov region, ”said the Greek interlocutor Krym.Realii.
Russian senator from annexed Crimea Olga Kovitidi
Russian senator from annexed Crimea Olga Kovitidi
Maxim Yali emphasized that Russia uses ethnic Greeks in a broad sense and not only in Crimea, but the Ukrainian-Greek efforts are already changing the situation.
“It should be noted that the destruction and actual erasure of the city of Mariupol from the face of the earth in the spring of 2022, the destruction of many Greek villages played a significant role in changing the position of Greece regarding the Russian-Ukrainian war. The role of the official consul of Greece, who was in Mariupol and left at the end of March last year, his interview and the work of the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry in the complex also played an important role. Concrete results are visible – Greece is providing military assistance to Ukraine. And compared to previous decades, these are significant changes,” he said.
Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou paid an official visit to Ukraine on November 03, 2022.
Source: KYMR