En ekatalava an i epithesi egine stin kipro i stin ellada
http://www.cyprus-mail.com/cyprus/journalist-s-car-attacked-nationalists/20110518Journalist’s car attacked by nationalists
By Staff reporter Published on May 18, 2011
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CYPRUS’ emerging right wing nationalism took a troubling turn on Monday, when an unknown individual – or group – smashed the car of a local journalist.
The assailant smashed the rear window of Politis columnist and blogger George Pitta, leaving behind an incorrectly spelt note in Greek that said: “Next time it will be your head, anti-Greek”.
“I discovered that the rear side window had been smashed yesterday morning but I did not see the note at first, I just checked that the CD player was there” Pitta said yesterday, “but then I found the note, which had spelled the words ‘head’ and ‘anti-Greek’ wrong.”
Asked why he thought the attacked had targeted his car, pitta said: “I rarely write about Cyprus. Recently I have written about the dramatic things that have been happening in Greece, and how society has fallen to pieces.”
For example, Pitta recently wrote an article entitled “Dying as a Country”, named after a 1978 novel by Dimitris Dimitriades.
Pitta said: “I normally begin articles with a quotation from a song or from literature. In this article I talked about neo-Nazis, but I did not mention (nationalists in Cyprus)”
Asked about ultra right wing nationalist group in Cyprus, Pitta said: “If there are neo-Nazis in Cyprus, then they are definitely first cousins of (Greek neo Nazi party) Chrysi Avgi.”
The websites of Cyprus’ right wing nationalist group ELAM and Chrysi Avgi both link to an on online radio website, radio “Counterstrike” which claims to be “the voice of nationalists in Cyprus.”
All three websites carry the red and black Chrysi Avgi logo, which resembles the Nazi swastika.
Asked if he would take the matter to the police, Pitta said: “No, I’m not going to the police – not because I am against them, but because this is a matter of civil society.”
Right wing nationalism in Cyprus has become more prominent in recent months, following ELAM’s registration in the parliamentary elections, and mounting tension between a second right wing nationalist group, KEA, and pro-multicultural Nicosia residents.
On March 20, two youths wearing ELAM’s signature black t-shirts violently assaulted elderly lottery ticket seller, Michalis Tsiakkas, on Nicosia’s Ledra Sreet, after he challenged their “fascist” ideology.
In November last year, nationalist demonstrators clashed with visitors to the Rainbow festival in Larnaca, injuring many and stabbing a Turkish Cypriot musician.