On Saturday, May 14, 2022, the Municipality of Distomo, Arachova, Antikyra, in collaboration with the Region of Central Greece and the Livadia Bar Association, organized an evening entitled “Claim of German Reparations: 22 years after the issuance of the decision 11/2000 of the Supreme Court for the victims of Distomo”.
The event organized on the occasion of the completion of 22 years since the issuance of the historic decision of the Supreme Court, inaugurated the program of actions planned by the Municipality of Distomo Arachova Antikyra in the context of commemorative events for the 78 years since the Distomo Massacre.
The session was chaired by Mr. Miltiadis Sfundouris, lawyer of Athens and member of the Association of Relatives of the Massacre of June 10, 1944, who after announcing the start of work, referred to the rationale, goals and idea of the event, calling on the inspirer of the idea, Mr. Ioannis Statha, mayor of Distomo Arachova Antikyra.
Mr. Stathas, after welcoming and thanking the invited speakers and listeners who honored the event with their presence, referred to the two court decisions, a milestone in the development of claiming war reparations for the victims of Distomo, mentioning the protagonists and the need to punish Nazi crimes against humanity.
Mr. Fanis Spanos, Regional Governor of Central Greece, then spoke as a plaintiff in the Distomo case, pledging to continue the fight for justice. As he stated, important victories have been achieved that consolidate the faith in justice by making Distomo to a universal symbol.
Mr. Andreas Koutsoumbas, lawyer at the Supreme Court, MP from Boeotia, but also one of the attorneys of the relatives of the victims who appeared in the first instance trial at the Livadia Multi-Member Court of First Instance, referred in detail to the legal and political aspect of the case and the need to continue the legal battle.
Mr. Loukas Papachristou, former Mayor of Distomo, referred to his personal experience and the historical circumstances of the birth of the idea of litigation and the moral vindication of the victims.
Mr. Vassilios Dalamagas, lawyer and president of the Livadia Bar Association, after assuring that he will always be by the relatives of the victims, presented in detail the history and the course of the case, emphasizing that the struggle must be continuous, persistent and collective.
Ms. Ekaterini Setta, former Appellate Court and a member of the composition of the Multi-Member Court of First Instance of Livadia on the decision 137/1997, which then took the floor, focused on her presentation on the reasoning and the operative part of the court decision, while emphasizing that it is painful that today the plaintiffs have not been satisfied.
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Mr. Theodoros Lafazanos, Honorary Vice President of the Supreme Court and member of the composition on the decision 11/2000, with his presentation moved the public conveying the atmosphere that prevailed during the trial in the Supreme Court after the appeal of Germany, while in referring to the issue of extrajudicial killings in international law, he stressed the need for war crimes to be tried in the place where they were committed.
This was followed by greetings and speeches by Ms. Giota Poulou and Mr. George Moulkiotis, MPs from Boeotia, as well as Mr. Aristomenis Siggelakis, Secretary of the National Council for the Debt of Germany to Greece, who after congratulating the Mayor, stressed the need for a relentless fight for justice.
The event was honored by the presence of the Mayor of Thebes, Mr. George Anastasiou, the Deputy Mayors of Levadia, Michalis Sagiannis and Athanasios Kalogrias, the President of the Municipal Council of Livadia, Valia Karava, the President of the Employees of the Municipality of Distomo, Arachova, Antikyra, Nikos Bouras and others.
After the end of the evening, the speakers were honored by Mr. Stathas, Mayor of Distomo Arachova Antikyra, while the invited judges, Ms. Setta and Mr. Lafazanos in a moving ceremony were declared honorary citizens of the Municipality of Distomo in the legal fight for the victims of Distomo.
