The extreme-right, organised crime and cover-up – Article by Nikos Ioannou, AKEL Political Bureau member

 

Sunday, 27 February 2022, ‘Haravgi’ newspaper

A series of events (at least those that have seen the light of day) now prove that in Cyprus too the far right, through its main exponent, the National Popular Front (ELAM), has heavy involvement in illegal activities, extending in recent years to the underworld.

In 2014, the former General Secretary of AKEL, Andros Kyprianou, made very serious allegations about ultra-right elements affiliated to ELAM who receive training in weapons.

In 2011 students at a University in Nicosia were attacked during the student elections and were beaten up by ELAM members who had previously taken the ballot box by force.

In 2014, an event was organised at the Limassol Technical University of Limassol with Mehmet Ali Talat as keynote speaker. A group of right-wing extremists attacked those participating outside the hall of the event.

Attacks on Turkish Cypriot cars, beatings of migrants (such as the recent attack on a migrant delivery carrier) are increasing.

In 2016 the then ELAM Larnaca District Secretary was charged and imprisoned for betting agency arson. Another ELAM leading member in 2019 was arrested for a large quantity of drugs and imprisoned. A leading member of ELAM also in 2019 was charged with participating in a criminal organisation, providing protection and illegal possession of a weapon. Suspects were recently arrested in a case of the murder of a 53-year-old man in Larnaca. One of the suspects is shown on social media with a swastika and slogans such as “Golden Dawn is not dead”. All of the above individuals maintained very good relations with the leadership of ELAM, as evidenced by their posts and publications on social networks.

In 2014, in Greece, ELAM’s sister party, ‘Golden Dawn’, was accused of being a criminal organisation in the murder of the antifascist Pavlos Fyssas.

The connection is undeniable. The statement by the President of ELAM, “We are the Golden Dawn of Cyprus”, is characteristic. Members of the ELAM leadership were present at several Golden Dawn rallies. ELAM leader Christos Christou was in the hard core of the Golden Dawn party when he was studying in Athens. However, despite all the evidence proving the link between Golden Dawn and ELAM, the Cyprus Police did not request any evidence from the Greek Police to carry out an investigation into the formation of a criminal organisation in Cyprus.

Someone could claim that the rise of the ultra-right and neo-fascists is an all-European phenomenon. However, in semi-occupied Cyprus the rise of fascism cannot be justified because of the bitter experience of the actions of the armed underground EOKA B organisation which brought about the catastrophe of 1974 and cannot be erased.

And yet today the leader of the Right and President of the ruling DISY party has no objection to including leading members of ELAM in his government. That is precisely why the Anastasiades – DISY – Averof government has not confronted the rise of fascism and illegality. The far-right has always been the reserve force of the Right, which is exactly why it tolerates it and provides it with cover.

ELAM is the pillar of support of the ruling DISY party and has proven this hundreds of times, both in and outside of Parliament. There are numerous examples that can be cited: ELAM raised its hand in favor and voted for the government’s bills on foreclosures. It supported DISY’s choices for the Presidency of the Parliament. ELAM voted for Mr. Anastasiades’ state budget.

It is therefore no coincidence at all that the far right is being covered up and shielded by the Right and its government and any suspicion of illegal activity is not investigated.