Amid raised cameras and mobile phones, and to the sounds of “Zorba the Greek,” Maria Karystianou walked alongside supporters gathered at Thessaloniki’s Aristotelous Square outside the Olympion Theater, where the founding event of the new political party Hope for Democracy took place.
The event, which began with a delay of about an hour, was hosted by Thanassis Avgerinos, a longtime correspondent in Russia, who described the occasion as the start of a new chapter in Greece’s political life. Wearing a black shirt featuring the writers Leo Tolstoy, Anton Chekhov and Fyodor Dostoevsky, Avgerinos said it was no coincidence that Dostoevsky appeared at the center, noting that he authored “Crime and Punishment.” “Punishment is approaching for those who committed crimes,” he said.
The event was co-hosted by Katerina Moutsatsou, a US-based actress who gained online attention in 2012 with her patriotic video about Greece’s financial crisis, “I am Hellene.”
Following a video presentation featuring messages from Greeks living abroad, farmers and young people, Karystianou took the stage to outline 20 key points of the movement’s founding declaration. “Today, hope for democracy is born,” she declared at the conclusion of her speech, unveiling the party’s name and logo, which feature a dove and an olive branch.
