The majority of the Greek politicians, including PM Lucas Papademos, found some words of sympathy to Dimitris Christoulas, the retired pharmacist who committed suicide behind a tree at Syntgama Square on Wednesday morning. The bullet the 77-year-old man planned in his head and the hand-written note he left behind invoking the economic misery due to his pension cut and urging the youth to take the arms shocked the public opinion. “A decent end is better before I start searching for food in the garbage,” Christoulas wrote. His decision to execute his desperate decision just a few meters away from the Parliament shook the people due to its powerful symbolism.
And yet, while a whole society tries to recover from the shock, dozens turn the tree at Syntagma into an alter and hundreds organize protests, two Greek politicians from socialist PASOK let their masks fall pouring portions of biting cynicism over the cropse of the unlucky man.
Former Defense Minister Panos Belgitis told Skai TV “We cannot arbitrarily connect the suicide with the economic situation of the country. Besides, we cannot know if he had debts or not, or if he ‘ate’ (spent) his money or if it was his children who did it”.
Video: Beglitis on Skai TV
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Beglitis’ comments caused quite some outrage and residents of his hometown Kiato, Northern Peloponnese, decided to take action against him. They took down the banners hanging outside his political office. Also another politician from conservative Nea Dimokratia had to pay farewell to his banners. Kiato residents warned that no politician should launch pre-election campaign in their town.
Video: Taking down banners from political offices
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