31/8/98: Eleftherotypia, page 9

New Democracy President K. Karamanlis participated in the christening of a Roma child in Kato Ahagia. His brother was the godfather.

A neutral report, implying that Mr. Karamanlis participates in lots of ceremonies of the kind, in order to gather votes.

1/9/98: Nea, page 16

The Roma settlement at Zefyri turned into a battlefield a little after midnight on Sunday, when policemen raided a house in the settlement, in search of hashish. The policemen found 45 kilos of hashish and arrested four Roma. As they were leaving the place, the policemen were attacked by Roma who had been celebrating a wedding nearby. According to the police, the Roma were the first to set fire to the policemen. The latter then shot in the air in order to intimidate the Roma. Following that, three of the four arrested Roma escaped. Sergeant K. Phavatas and the 20-year-old Roma Patapios Karagounis were injured. According to Karagounis’ family, the young man lost his right eye and was seriously injured in the backbone during the fight. Three Roma were arrested. The three runaways are wanted by the police. An hour and a half later, a police patrol passing by the settlement was attacked and officer D. Tsevas was injured. A police group which came to the place did not manage to find the criminals. According to the Roma residents, however, it was the policemen who started to shoot indiscriminately.

A neutral report, mentioning both the police and the Roma version of the events.

Eleftherotypia, page 15: Blood for the Zefyri Hashish

The combat between the Roma and the hashish sellers in the Zefyri settlement resulted in a lot of injuries, hashish, and the big question of who started the fire. According to the police, they were attacked by Roma, while leaving the place. That is why they answered to the attack in order to intimidate the Roma. ‘The policemen were the ones who started the fire. They were shooting to kill, they treated Karagounis as a lamp,’ claim the relatives of the 20-year-old Roma. The combat proved, however, that some of the Roma settlements in Attiki are big hashish markets. Roma cooperate with the Albanian Mafia. While the latter deliver the hashish across the borders, the former take care of its shelter and distribution.

Two characteristics distinguish the article of Eleftherotypia from the other articles: First, only this article and the article in Nea explicitly mention the Roma version about the event. Second, it is among the few articles on that day -apart from Vradini and Adesmeftos Typos (page 32)- which make generalizations of the event and speak of Roma selling hashish with collaboration of the Albanian mafia.

Also:

Eleftheros Typos, page 17, Bloodshed Between Two Policemen and a Roma

Exousia, page 20, Police Raid on Roma Settlement

Avgi, page 13, Wild West Images in Zefyri

Ethnos, page 24, Clashes of Roma with the Police in Zefyri

Adesmeftos Typos, page 13, Combat Between Roma and Police in Zefyri

Apogevmatini, page 13, Shooting and Bloodshed in Roma Settlement Because of Drugs

Athinaiki, page 19: Raid for Hashish in Zefyri

Kathimerini, page 7, Bloody Combat in Zefyri

Comparatively mild reports which confine themselves to the description of the events from the policemen’s point of view. Some of the articles refer to the relations between Roma and the Albanian Mafia, but only as regards the present event.

Also:

Vradini, page 36, Wild West Images Again in Zefyri

The infiltration of the Albanian Mafia in the Roma settlements was confirmed yesterday by the arrest of the Albanian leader of the group. This is not the first time that policemen risk their lives to break down on Roma gangs selling hashish. The article continues with examples of previous police raids, which verify that there is a serious problem concerning hashish trade in Roma settlements.

Also:

Adesmeftos Typos, page 32: Zefyri Turned Into Chicago!

The policemen tried to stop the death trade which reigns in the Roma settlements.

Negative reports, taking the issue of Roma guilt for granted and praising the police raid in the name of the battle against drugs.

2/9/98, Apogevmatini, page 19

Police are searching for Vasilis Karagianopoulos and his two brothers, who are believed to be the main receivers and distributors of the hashish in Zefyri. The three men were caught in the very act of packing the hashish on Sunday night, but managed to escape, after provoking a fight between policemen and Roma. However, the brain of the gang, Albanian D. An. Tsipas, did not manage to escape.

Also:

Nea, page 17, Manhunt

Also:

Eleftherotypia, page 20, Taken to Give Account for Hashish Combat

The 20-year-old Roma was injured by a lead shot coming from the guns of the other Roma and not by a police gun, according to the official version of the police.

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Eleftheros Typos, page 33, Doctors Will Find Out Who Shot the 20-year-old Roma

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Ethnos, page 19, Warning to the ‘Bad’ Roma

Police officer Th. Papafilis announced that the police do not discriminate against Roma in comparison to the rest of the population. However, he said, distribution of drugs in the Roma settlements is unacceptable.

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Vradini, page 37, Zefyri Settlement Turned Into Boiling Cauldron

The Roma settlement is anxious while waiting for the doctors’ opinions related to the serious injury of the young Roma. Officer Th. Papafilis expressed his compassion to the Roma people, saying that they are entitled to equality before the law. He added that sometimes the police shut their eyes to minor incidents of law breaking, in order to help the Roma community improve its life. Nevertheless, crimes that lead young people to death cannot be tolerated.

Also:

Adesmeftos Typos, page 20, We Have to Separate the Sheep from the Goats

Roma of the Zefyri settlement talk to the reporters of the newspaper. They admit that there is a hashish problem at the settlement, but it is confined to certain members of the group. They add that the young Roma, who was injured, was absolutely innocent. They also accuse the police of repeatedly putting the blame on the Roma.

A very positive report, adopting the Roma version of the events.

2/9/98, Nea, page 4

For those who wonder about the presence of K. Karamanlis at the concert of Nikos Papazoglou in Aghia Varvara, there are two explanations: first, they are friends. Second, Papazoglou has made a great success with his record ‘Gypsies Take Revenge!’

An ironic report, commenting on the recent frequent appearances of Mr. Karamanlis on the side of the Roma. Although humorous, the article presupposes a negative connotation of the word Roma and Gypsy.

3/9/98, Nea, page 19.

3,500 Roma in the Evosmos district of Thessaloniki were expelled from their place once again. Now they live under sordid conditions next to a cemetery. The persecution of the 3,500 Roma, who have been living in the region for 30 years, started three years ago on the ground of trespassing private property. The local authorities deprived them of water in order to precipitate their expulsion. After complaints of NGOs, among which the DROM Network for the Social Rights of Roma, the Public Prosecutor ordered an official inquiry last May. In 1997 the Prefecture of Thessaloniki ordered their transportation to the Gonou Camp, which was under reconstruction. The neighboring municipalities started a serious campaign against this decision. In the last 30 days, the Roma have been ordered to leave their places more than four times.

5/9/98: Eleftheros Typos [Anna Panagiotarea], page 6

An account of a trip to Komotini. Ifaistos, the Roma neighbourhood, full of life, regardless of the fact that it looks like a ghetto…

A standard image of the Roma: joyful, merry, despite their problems. A positive report.

9/9/98: Eleftherotypia [I. Swtirhou], page 19

The 3,500 Roma were ordered once again to leave their settlement. This time they have to leave the cemetery where they have been living under sordid conditions since the end of August. They moved to the French River, which is public property. Hence, they are free to stay there until their imminent transportation to the Gonou Camp, according to the Prefect of Thessaloniki. A lot of institutions have condemned the ongoing racist attitude towards the Roma of Evosmos.

11/9/98, Eleftherotypia, page 2

Will They be Drowned by the River?

The Doctors of the World have offered their help to the Roma of Evosmos, who have settled at the river banks of the French River. The international organization considers the place totally inappropriate, since no water, electricity, sewage system or public transportation are provided. Moreover, human lives are in great danger, should a serious rainfall take place. The organization also raises its voice against the fact that nothing has ever been done in relation to the Gonou Camp, regardless of the 400 mill drachmas credit already distributed.

11/9/98, Eleftherotypia, page 22, 43

The founder and head of the world-wide cosmetics chain-stores "Body Shop International", Ms. Anita Roddick, visited Greece to participate to the presentation of the human rights campaign of the company. In her two days stay in Athens, she found the time to visit a Roma settlement in Aspropyrgos. In an interview to the paper, she states that governments do not care for freedom and democracy. The Greek government should be ashamed of the situation in the Roma settlement in Aspropyrgos. Roma are a disorganised society, so they need help. NGOs, the government and people themselves should co-operate to provide simple means of living to the Roma, such as solar power, water, better conditions of life. To do something more than providing water, education and settlement is rather utopian.

Also:

12/9/98, Nea, page 18, "We live only once"

20/9/98, Eleftherotypia [E magazine]

with scant references to her visit to the Roma settlements.

11/9/98, Eleftheros Typos, page 37

Emir Kusturica and his 60 Roma trumpet players arrived in Venice to give a festive atmosphere to the film festival.

Eleftherotypia, page 9, To the Roma

Eleftherotypia, page 19, SYN - on Roma’s Side

The President of SYN, N. Konstantopoulos, visited the Roma settlements at Diavata and Halastra (district of Thessaloniki) yesterday. In Diavata, Konstantopoulos condemned the ‘beastly’ and ‘barbarian’ attitude of the local and state authorities towards the 3,500 Roma, who have been persecuted during the last three years. He also expressed his wish that they will soon be settled at the Gonou Camp. At Halastra, the President of SYN visited the 2^nd Public School and attended the educational program addressed to Roma kids. He praised the program and donated 3 mill drachmas from the salaries of the MPs of his party.

Also:

Kathimerini, page 16

Eleftheros Typos, page 7

Ethnos, page 10, A Symbolic and Sensitive Act

12/9/98: Nea, page 23

Interview with director Emir Kusturica, at the Venice Film Festival related to Kusturica’s new film ‘Black Cat, White Cat dealing with Roma life. Roma always choose the best view, always stay tuned to their culture, always assimilate ideas from everywhere. They are amateurs of life, really intellectual people. They are more of aristocrats than the aristocrats themselves!

12/9/98, Eleftherotypia, page 41

Interview with Emir Kusturica: ‘I was born in the suburbs of Sarajevo, near a big Roma neighborhood. That was a great influence, because they taught me a lot of things about personal freedom, friendship and beauty.’

17/9/98: Eleftheros Typos, page 8

A worker at the rubbish dump of Ano Liosia suddenly decided to lock the place at 3:00 a.m. yesterday night, under the pretext that he was attacked by Roma. He did not change his mind even after the police arrived at the place. As a result, the gathering of the rubbish ran behind schedule. Maybe this was done with the aim to create problems just before the upcoming local elections?

19/9/98: Eleftherotypia, page 47

A three-year-old girl and her baby brother were seriously injured when attacked by mice at a Roma settlement in Chios. The two children live with their third brother and their mother, Katherine Panteli, in a downgraded camp in Chios, which has practically been turned into a rubbish dump. The Roma ask for the cleaning of the place and seek ways of leaving the region for good. The election candidates for the Municipality of Chios promised that they will try to find a place to create a Roma camp immediately after the elections. But, will mice wait until then?

A very positive report, sympathizing with the Roma family, which represents the problems of the whole group of Roma in the region.

22/9/98: Nea, page 24

During the night, the University of Thessaloniki was transformed into a house of immigrants, drifters, drug-addicts, rapists and Roma sellers. In the summer they live in front of the university hospital in tents and huts, without water and sanitary conditions.

Roma are mentioned among the fringe delinquent groups who threaten the serenity of the university. A very negative report.

23/9/98, Nea, page 7

Also:

Eleftheros Typos, page 6

The Roma… are in a hurry! At the celebration of the christening of a Roma child in Kato Ahagia, a loud voice was coming out of the speakers: "At last, a young person will be Greece’s Prime Minister."

A neutral report, trying to take political advantage of the event.

Also:

Ethnos, page 12

The President of ND got related to a Roma family, as his brother christened a Roma child in Patras. Mr. and Mrs. Karamanlis made their presence at the ceremony and at the celebration. Their new relative offered them two wrist watches of little value but with a lot of love.

Also:

Nea, page 4

Hospitable as they are, the Roma offered Mr. Karamanlis two boxes, which proved to contain two wrist watches. Yes, right guess! They were fake… Something like a ‘Folex.’ Mr. Karamanlis mumbled a ‘they are nice,’ but his new relative answered back, ‘they are not worthy, but they are given with a lot of love.’" A very diplomatic answer…

Humorous and slightly ironic reports, presenting the Roma as joyful and cunning, yet inoffensive people.

24/9/98: Eleftherotypia, page 6

The DROM Network for the Social Rights of Roma, the Network for Social and Political Rights, the Greek Helsinki Monitor and Minority Rights Group - Greece ask from the Presidents of PASOK, ND and SYN to withdraw their support for four candidates for the municipalities of the Evosmos region, because of racist attitude towards the Roma. The aforementioned candidates, in their capacity as local authority leaders, have announced that they would ‘prevent the coming of Roma, and, even more, the creation of substructure works.’ The organizations also bring to the presidents’ attention facts about the persecution of 3,500 Roma in Evosmos last August and add that nothing has been done for the reconstruction of the Gonou Camp, which was supposed to be used as a permanent settlement for the Roma.

Eleftherotypia, page 59

A festival aiming at bringing together Roma and the local society was organized Saturday evening at the Roma settlement of Nea Alikarnassos by the Hope Roma Cultural Society and the department of Youth of the Ministry of Education. The festival took place in an atmosphere of solidarity and humanity. The participants emphasized on the need for multicultural education and the preservation of the cultural identity of the Roma.

28/9/98: Nea, page 24

An open-air market, the first in Greece to be exclusively for Roma sellers, was inaugurated yesterday in Thessaloniki. Roma sellers were generally not accepted at the common popular markets, so the Municipality of Thessaloniki decided to give them a legal place to sell their goods (anything but fruits). 200 families will be allowed to sell clothes, carpets, furniture, curtains, chairs, electronic devices, and of course, cassettes and CDs with music chosen by the special Roma heart. The Roma celebrated their market with -what else?- clarinets, violins, tabors, colorful clothes and azure shirts, dark skin, speakers with echo, lots of beers and a roasted lamb.

Eleftherotypia, page 62

The football team Ionikos cannot return to its field, because it remains under construction.

31/9/98: Ethnos, page 18

A sudden tornado caused serious damages to Messologi. A lot of houses were seriously damaged in the Tampakaria region, where there is a Roma settlement.

Also:

Eleftherotypia, page 52