#Greece: the utter hypocrisy & foolishness of the very people tasked with protecting Greeks from #Covid_19GR is today exposed by @EFSYNTAKTON & journalist A. Psarra. On 22/10/20, 2 weeks prior to the country going into lockdown & whilst arrivals are strictly controlled, 
the Civil Protection officer in charge at the Athens airport is informed via SMS by one of his officers that visiting basketball team Fenerbahce includes 4 people with a fever.
The dialogue is astounding:
“Four people escorting Fener have a fever”
“Let them through”
The dialogue is astounding:
“Four people escorting Fener have a fever”
“Let them through”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s an order by Hardalias, get on with it [and keep it] on the Pakistani phone”
For context: N. Hardalias is the Deputy Minister of Civil Protection & Crisis Management -the man tasked with fighting the pandemic. “Pakistani phone” refers to an unofficial phone
“It’s an order by Hardalias, get on with it [and keep it] on the Pakistani phone”
For context: N. Hardalias is the Deputy Minister of Civil Protection & Crisis Management -the man tasked with fighting the pandemic. “Pakistani phone” refers to an unofficial phone
The officer in charge orders the team through, despite the misgivings of the Control officer:
“Let the VIP through to Arrivals”
“Let’s not get in trouble Commander, the EMS [ambulance service] is here too”
“We’re not gonna get in trouble -others burned 100 people & got promoted”
“Let the VIP through to Arrivals”
“Let’s not get in trouble Commander, the EMS [ambulance service] is here too”
“We’re not gonna get in trouble -others burned 100 people & got promoted”
“Ok”
“Chop-chop […] but keep it to this mobile because we’ve sent a lot on our phones”
“Ok”
“Pakistan dude […]”
For context on the “burned 100 people” reference (-some officers involved in the response were later promoted by the current govt):
google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg…
“Chop-chop […] but keep it to this mobile because we’ve sent a lot on our phones”
“Ok”
“Pakistan dude […]”
For context on the “burned 100 people” reference (-some officers involved in the response were later promoted by the current govt):
google.co.uk/amp/s/amp.theg…
The final SMS, sent by the officer in charge, is just as galling:
“The order of the big guy is to let them through without control. Rank [the leadership] have been informed. Hope they don’t land us in it”
That same evening the game between Fenerbahce and PAO went ahead and
“The order of the big guy is to let them through without control. Rank [the leadership] have been informed. Hope they don’t land us in it”
That same evening the game between Fenerbahce and PAO went ahead and
the Greek side won by 82-68. Five days later, the first confirmed case within the team was reported, and another one the day after that.
This was happening on the ground, whilst the rhetoric of irresponsible citizens & protesting leftists was raging in the govt-friendly media
This was happening on the ground, whilst the rhetoric of irresponsible citizens & protesting leftists was raging in the govt-friendly media
trying to blame-game people into accepting that the pandemic and ensuing lockdowns were of their own making.
And is this sustained effort to incriminate citizens in order to gloss over the inefficiencies and haphazard response of the govt that has taken a serious blow today
And is this sustained effort to incriminate citizens in order to gloss over the inefficiencies and haphazard response of the govt that has taken a serious blow today
Update: the Deputy Minister, N. Hardalias has issued a statement denying any knowledge of and involvement in these events. He also announced that he is pursuing legal action against the journalist and the newspaper
libre.gr/agnoia-dilonei…
libre.gr/agnoia-dilonei…
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