PM Samaras: 'Democracy is a lot stronger than its enemies imagine'

It is not a time for domestic fighting or tension and all political differences must be resolved with democratic dialogue rather than violence, Prime Minister Antonis Samaras said in a brief announcement on television on Thursday, in response to the murder of Pavlos Fyssas on Tuesday night by a man with ties to the Golden Dawn (Chryssi Avghi) party and the widespread reactions it engendered. 

Calling the murder "ruthless", Samaras said his government was "determined to prevent the descendants of Nazis from poisoning our social life, perpetrating crimes, and terrorising and undermining the foundations of the country that gave birth to democracy.

"Any political differences are resolved with democratic dialogue," the premier said, "not with inflammatory disagreements or violence, wherever it comes from, and especially not in blood, which divides us and exposes us (to derision) abroad."

Violence destroys any chances Greece has to acquire what it deserves, he said, like growth, peace and prosperity. "Everyone should respect the people, their efforts and sacrifices," he noted.

"Democracy is a lot stronger than its enemies imagine," he concluded.