Minister pushed to reveal ‘most likely motive’ in execution-style killing of journalist Karaivaz

European Council President among the EU officials who made statements, with a Greek tweet on freedom of press

A police truck carries the car of a veteran Greek crime reporter in southern Athens, Friday, April 9, 2021. Giorgos Karaivaz was gunned down Friday near his home in southern Athens, police said. Private Star TV, for which he worked, said Karaivaz had just returned from work. It said two men on a motorcycle drew up beside him and the passenger opened fire. Photo: Panayiotis Tzamaros/InTime News via AAP/AP

11 April 2021 12:06pm

Instagram

Greece’s deputy minister for citizens’ protection, Lefteris Economou, was grilled on Saturday over the link of journalist’s Giorgos Karaivaz killing with gangs of organised crime.

“It is still too early to make assumptions regarding the exact motives,” Mr Economou told ERT journalists, during an interview at the state broadcaster covering a range of ongoing matters under his portfolio.

“Now it’s time to get down to work and abstain from saying much,” he said adding that authorities are currently investigating a number of journalist projects the victim was involved in, to establish any potential links to the circumstances of his death.

Karaivaz was shot dead close to his home in the Alimos suburb, Athens, on Friday afternoon.

According to witnesses, two men on a motorbike drew up beside him with one of them opening fire at Mr Karaivaz while driving on his way back from work.

Police said Karaivaz was hit at least six times with the pistol, which was reportedly muffled with a silencer, established not to be linked with previous criminal activity.

Organised crime link

The journalist, who was married with a child, was know for his law and order coverage, but sources close to him said that he had not reported any threats against him, nor had he asked for police protection.

Pushed to provide more details on the most likely motive investigated by authorities, the deputy minister suggested a link between the killing and organised crime.

Mr Economou made the statements, while talked into commenting on the difficulty of investigating execution-style murders like the one of Karaivaz, as has been the case with a series of suspected contract killings in the past three years.

The similarity of the incident to ‘hitman contracts’ was also touched on.

“Initial indications point to criminal rather than terrorist act,” Mr Economou replied when asked by a journalist if the terrorism scenario is to be ruled out.

Statements by Greek and EU politicians

The crime journalist’s murder has attracted international media attention and sparked statements by EU officials.

Among prominent EU leaders who made statements were President of the European Parliament, David Sassoli, and President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen who tweeted in both Greek and English, denouncing the act as “despicable” and “cowardly”.

Η δολοφονία ενός δημοσιογράφου είναι μια απεχθής, δειλή πράξη.

Η Ευρώπη αντιπροσωπεύει την ελευθερία. Και η ελευθερία του τύπου ίσως είναι η πιο ιερή από όλες. Οι δημοσιογράφοι πρέπει να είναι σε θέση να εργάζονται με ασφάλεια.

— Ursula von der Leyen (@vonderleyen) April 9, 2021

Europe stands for freedom. And freedom of press may be the most sacred of all,” she wrote.

In Greece, following a meeting with Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Citizen Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis said the “repulsive crime”, and that the PM explicitly called for a speedy investigation and solving of the case.

SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras took to social media to criticise the government for having let the country “become a colony of organized crime and of mafia rings’ uncontrollable activity.”

“When a journalist is murdered democracy is wounded,” he added.