Kouneva acid case ‘smear on our democracy’ – Greek newspaper
Leading Greek daily Kathimerini published an editorial comment on May 28 2009 saying that the failure to identify and prosecute those behind the acid attack on Konstantina Kouneva, the Bulgarian unionist who fought for the cause of exploited cleaning workers, was a failure of Greece’s democracy.
Kouneva was attacked with acid on December 23 2008 and has been in hospital since, having lost the sight in one of her eyes and with serious internal injuries.
A 48-year-old Albanian was detained on February 21 2009 and released four days later, Bulgarian news agency Focus said.
In its editorial, Kathimerini said that the Kouneva case had "touched people’s hearts across the country" and also caused widespread indignation.
"The Greek police and the country’s judiciary have done absolutely nothing to track down the perpetrators of the attack.
"Is this due to sheer incompetence? Or does this foot-dragging have to do with fear?," the newspaper said.
Whatever the cause of the delay may be in bringing the perpetrators of this vicious crime to justice, the failure to do so only further provokes the public’s sense that justice is not being done, Kathimerini said.
"The quality of a democracy is judged when it is called upon to protect the weak and stand up against those with power. In the case of Kuneva, a woman who fought to help to provide some sense of power to people who are generally without it, this has failed on both counts," the newspaper said.
Quoting Greek daily Ta Nea, Focus said that the investigation of the attack on Kouneva had been "frozen" for two months.
At a news conference on May 27, lawyers for Kouneva said that since March, no documents in the case had been presented to investigators and so, no work had been done on the investigation.
The main reason was that the Albanian arrested for the assault had not been given back his driving licence.
It was suspected that the driving licence was fake but this had not been confirmed. Bureaucracy in dealing with the issue was holding up the case, Kouneva’s lawyers told the news conference.
Kouneva was attacked with acid on December 23 2008 and has been in hospital since, having lost the sight in one of her eyes and with serious internal injuries.
A 48-year-old Albanian was detained on February 21 2009 and released four days later, Bulgarian news agency Focus said.
In its editorial, Kathimerini said that the Kouneva case had "touched people’s hearts across the country" and also caused widespread indignation.
"The Greek police and the country’s judiciary have done absolutely nothing to track down the perpetrators of the attack.
"Is this due to sheer incompetence? Or does this foot-dragging have to do with fear?," the newspaper said.
Whatever the cause of the delay may be in bringing the perpetrators of this vicious crime to justice, the failure to do so only further provokes the public’s sense that justice is not being done, Kathimerini said.
"The quality of a democracy is judged when it is called upon to protect the weak and stand up against those with power. In the case of Kuneva, a woman who fought to help to provide some sense of power to people who are generally without it, this has failed on both counts," the newspaper said.
Quoting Greek daily Ta Nea, Focus said that the investigation of the attack on Kouneva had been "frozen" for two months.
At a news conference on May 27, lawyers for Kouneva said that since March, no documents in the case had been presented to investigators and so, no work had been done on the investigation.
The main reason was that the Albanian arrested for the assault had not been given back his driving licence.
It was suspected that the driving licence was fake but this had not been confirmed. Bureaucracy in dealing with the issue was holding up the case, Kouneva’s lawyers told the news conference.