Papadopoulos Promises Return To Democracy

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31773, 2 September 1968, Page 13

Papadopoulos Promises Return To Democracy

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter —Copyrinht;

SALONIKA (Greece), September 1.

The Greek Prime Minister (Colonel George Papadopoulos) has promised to free all politicians at present under arrest to allow them to express their opinion on Greece’s proposed draft Constitution.

He also gave a pledge to restore democratic life in Greece, “but only when there is no danger of a relapse to the sinful past.”

Colonel Papadopoulos, who was the master-mind behind the Army take-over in Greece in April of last year, was in Salonika today to open an international trade fair. He said: “We shall endea vour with all our powers to attain the goals of the revolution which could not be achieved through a pariia-

mentary government even if it enjoyed an absolute majority. Colonel Papadopoulos said the referendum on the new Constitution, on September 29, would be held in absolute freedom. “We shall free all politicians now under arrest to allow them to express their own opinion,” he promised. “We shall free them to give them the opportunity, if they have the courage to do so, to vote against what they had

been advocating for so many years.

“We hope that very soon the prerequisities and the conditions will exist for a free democratic life, but without the danger of a return to the situation prevailing in this country before the Army take-over.”