Today is a historic day, not only for Greece but with a european impact. More than five years after the start of one of the most important trials in the late history of Greece, a convicting judgment was passed: After the murder of Pavlos Fyssas from a member of Golden Dawn, the political party which gained third place in the Hellenic Parliament and with a presence in the European Parliament, is convicted as a criminal organisation and its leadership found guilty just as the total of the parliamentary group of Golden Dawn as it was formed after the 2012 national elections.
The series of events will now be swift for this criminal organisation and it is of great interest to see how the European Parliament will manage a member who now is a convicted criminal. Perhaps it is time for the European democracy to roll up its sleeves and ask the difficult questions, such as how a now member of a criminal organization could shape the future of European citizens, unravelling a comprehensive debate on the far right and its place in democracy.
Today, the Justice system has reaffirmed its role as a separate power, applying the Constitution and the laws of the country. In this outstanding way, it is demonstrated that the rule of law is present and that criminal acts are punished. This decision is also partly due to the constitution of a wide anti-fascist front which worked tirelessly in order to bring this criminal organisation to justice. We should all have in mind that it is not nazi ideology that has been found guilty today, but rather the acts this ideology and political practice bring about. As such, the fascist and nazi ideology is first and foremost condemned in our everyday lives with small and simple acts, as well as with our political choices.
The struggle for respect for freedom, equality and human dignity is a constant reckoning with fear, intolerance and stereotypes surrounding us all from a young age: a struggle for true democracy.