Speaking on the ANT1 morning show Kalimera Ellada on Friday, June 19, former Athens mayor and New Democracy MP Alexia Bakoyannis reacted strongly to the Supreme Court’s decision to release Alexandros Giotsopoulos — a convicted member of the November 17 terrorist group — and send him back to Korydallos Prison.
‘No one can truly grasp the despair and anguish felt by the victims’ families,’ Bakoyannis said, emphasizing the profound emotional toll on those who lost loved ones to political violence. ‘No one can step into our shoes.’
She described the November 17 group as a ‘mafia-like organization’ whose members spent three decades carrying out bank robberies and targeted assassinations. ‘At some point, a group of people sat down and decided to kill another human being — simply to publicize their views,’ she stated. ‘And Giotsopoulos was their leader.’
Bakoyannis posed a stark rhetorical question: ‘Imagine I’m walking down the street with my own children — and I see Giotsopoulos or Koufontinas coming toward me. What am I supposed to do? If I don’t react, I won’t be able to look at myself in the mirror afterward. But if I do react, I’ll be acting unlawfully. Why should any citizen be placed in that position?’
She underscored the gravity of Giotsopoulos’ crimes, noting he had ordered 17 murders and served just over 24 years in prison — roughly one year per killing.