N. G. Michaloliakos’ interview to “Russia Athens” about the strong roots of the relationship between Greece and Russia - VIDEO

The journalist Pavel Onoiko got an exclusive interview with the General Secretary of the Popular Association - Golden Dawn for the network “Russia Athens” in the event of the National Association of People with Disabilities.

The translated text of the interview follows below:

It is difficult to understand the joy with which Nicholas Michaloliakos was received by the people who were present at the event. The party of Golden Dawn is treated differently: for the left, it is “neo-Nazi and violent”, but for the average Greek it is something undefined since the media often say terrible things against it. For the members of the party, Mr. Michaloliakos is a leader who has their utmost respect. But, who is Nikos Michaloliakos?

- I’d like to ask you a question you might find strange, but I think you are familiar with this type of questions. What is the difference between patriotism and racism?

Racism, as it is currently defined, has nothing to do with our own patriotism and nationalism. We don’t have colonies or cotton fields to bring black slaves to work on them. We only want to keep Greece Hellenic, and not let it become a mixture of refugees and illegal immigrants because this will result in the transformation of our Fatherland. We have nothing to do with racism as it is currently defined.

- Your policy towards immigrants is very harsh. Why?

It is not harsh; it is perfectly reasonable. It is known that most of them are Islamists, jihadists, or deserters from the war in Syria, and they are dangerous to our Fatherland. We have a problem as a nation, just like Russia, with regard to the demographic issue. Fewer and fewer Greeks are born and we’ll end up being a minority in our own country. This is our policy.

- How do you see a possible cooperation with Russia?

Russia is a natural ally of Greece. A common cultural background connects us with Russia; that of Orthodoxy. I had the opportunity to travel to Russia and talk to the ordinary Russian people, so I know how deeply philhellenes they are. Even our national independence in 1821 in part happened because of Russia. Because of the Russian-Turkish War, the Tsar imposed the independence of Greece. Russia is a natural ally of Greece.

- Greece hosts US military bases on its territory. Do you think that this is normal?

We are not interested in cooperating with any other naval force. We are a strong naval force ourselves. However, the two great powers are always rivals and they compete against each other. Our aim is to ally with a strong state and make Greece the naval power of this alliance. Greece has allowed American bases on its territory. This is wrong, it doesn’t offer us anything. If Greece gave a military base to Russia we would have the Russian protection against the Turkish threat. The Russians are in conflict with Turkey for over 300 years; it is not a current issue. Due to the problems in the Caspian, the Caucasus, and Azerbaijan, where, by the way, Turkey “steals” gas and oil and sells them to the Americans.

- Then it is possible that you know the story about the Russian navy request for bases in Greece almost 4-5 years ago.

This question is meaningless because there was never a serious proposal. Russia sees Greece in its present state as a “shop” sold out to America.

- Only to America?

Yes, only to America. And unless things change... As far as Russia is concerned, it’s a waste of money. But there was one very serious proposition, the Burgas - Alexandroupolis pipeline through which the Russian oil would go to Europe via Greece and Bulgaria. But they made sure to overthrow both the Bulgarian and the Greek government in order to stop this plan. We are interested in acquiring weapon systems to make the country independent from the US military production. This is because the United States at a critical moment will not help us, they will help the Turks.

- Was the project of the Burgas-Alexandroupolis pipeline canceled because of the Americans?

The American foreign minister at the time, Bryza, had said that if we made this pipeline there would be a Greco-Turkish war because it would have to traverse along the river Evros. The Turks would never dare to pass the Greek borders if there was the pipeline there. This could complicate Turkey's relations with Russia. At the same time, another issue occurred. The Karamanlis government had ordered from the Russians 200 BMP armored amphibians, which could cross the river Evros since we have a problem defending the borders, unlike the Turks. And Thrace is essentially a plain, so if you conquer the Turkish center of military operations, they will lose Eastern Thrace. The problem is in the “straits”. Greece should be the dominant power in the Strait of Bosporus. This is good not only for Greece but also for Russia.

- This idea is very old. It has existed since the time of the Tsar.

More specifically, since Catherine the Great, who named her son Alexander and taught him Greek. The whole story of the Greek-Russian relationship has deep roots.

- That’s where the Greek revolution began...

Of course, this is the truth! There's also a folk song that says “This spring again, rayahs, rayahs, this summer again, Morea and Roumeli. Until the Moscow comes to bring the Army...” That’s what the Greeks hoped for. Of course, things changed with communism. The Soviet Union played Bulgaria’s game because it was a fellow communist country, so there was a change in the geopolitical game. But now things are different.

From: xryshaygh.com