Roma Criminality

There is no solution to Roma criminality, as a thousand years of history since the Roma arrived in Europe from India bear witness. Just as modern motorways make no provision for pedestrian lanes, modern rhythms of life leave no place for the maladjusted. A Laconian Member of Parliament from New Democracy declared that he was indifferent to the Roma vote, in order to convince his fellow citizens that he disregarded the political cost of confronting delinquent behaviour, and all the media, in a recital of anti-racist hysteria, set upon him. I first encountered the Roma as a student in the 1980s, on the Athens-Thessaloniki rail journey; back when the trip lasted between 8 and 17 hours in compartments of 8 people. I usually made wonderful acquaintances during that long ordeal, except for one dark and stormy night when the rain was pouring down; that was when I had the misfortune of ending up in a compartment with Roma, and I could not change seats: unbelievable filth and unbearable din.

Experience of associating with the Roma

A friend of mine, once a member of the Communist Youth (one of those who used to swagger about their progressiveness), used to make excuses for them. Today he lives in a detached house outside Corinth; the Roma have broken into his home 2-3 times while he was sleeping with his family — today, he has repeatedly revised those earlier class-based analyses of his. In the army, of course, they were issued I5 classifications en masse; unfit to serve (their conscription was meaningless in any event). Later, I met them in a handful of cases as clients. In one serious case I was sharing with another colleague, about ten pickup trucks woke him up early on the morning of the trial, blaring their horns under his house and shouting for him to come down; from that point on the colleague avoided me, and I avoided them. Later I learned that they assaulted an outstanding female colleague — pregnant at that — who was representing Roma, because she lost a criminal trial. Most of them earn their living from crime: chiefly drugs and weapons. A good number of them have grown rich and arrogant; there is now no chance, even where employment opportunities are offered to them, that they will accept them; they would work five times harder for ten times less money. They marry very young, at 12-13; by 35 they look 55, while already having grandchildren; they generally do not live many years.

I have also experienced them as collaborators; as a judicial representative in double elections in Zefyri, where gunshots kept ringing out throughout the polling process. Because I needed an electoral committee for the double count, I sweet-talked some Roma women into getting the job done. I appealed to their sense of honour, allowing them to go home at midday and return in the afternoon; I was impressed that they returned — yet they were unable to sit at a table with even rudimentary discipline and concentration to do simple things like opening envelopes. Even so, I kept them on, because I was hugely entertained watching the inner conflict between their sense of honour, not wanting to appear unworthy of my trust (I admit I found this harder to find in our white compatriots), and their very nature, which was incapable of accepting constraints. Naturally, at some point they could no longer stand entertaining me and they left — I imagine that, in their turn, they were also entertained by my own anxiety to get the job done properly and on time.

The mentality of the Roma and criminality

Their mentality precludes any cooperation aimed at achieving a collective goal; each of them works on his own, and never in their history have they formed any kind of political representation (as professional exceptions, I have known a Roma lawyer and a nurse, who, however, have no ties to the tribe). The right-wing-leftist liberal nonsense about their marginalisation chooses to ignore the fact that not all races are capable of adopting the values — and consequently the criteria of evaluation — of a single way of life. Why do you think the Americans imported black slaves and did not take the indigenous Indians who lived next to them by the millions? Because when they put the Indians to work in chains or confined them, they died; just like that. Something similar happens with the Roma (we are cut out for slaves, especially those of us who do not know it — they are not, whether they know it or not).

Generally speaking, their level is hopelessly low (they do not even know their own date of birth). There is no greater refutation of the sociological theories of integration (British fantasies) and assimilation (French fantasies) than the historical example, over millennia, of the unassimilable Roma race within European societies. They have no inclination towards education, nor any aptitude for letters. They are, moreover, the greatest racists, since they accept no intermarriage with any outsider, male or female. Even Roma figures who are symbols to them, such as the singer Manolis Angelopoulos, who married a white woman, were never forgiven by them; unquestionably they are very proud of their race (and good for them!). I have even encountered Roma who came to Greece from Albania (yes, there are Albanian Roma), whom the local Roma forbade from staying in the encampments. They feel the call of blood as strongly as they feel the call of reason weakly. And if the lack of resources is the mother of petty criminality, then surely the lack of reason is the father.

Roma criminality

There is no greater foolishness than the designation “Roma”; the Roma themselves do not recognise themselves by this name. In earlier times, they made a positive contribution to the local economy: blacksmiths, farriers, tinkers, basket-weavers and travelling fair entertainers (they could never bear to do agricultural or stock-breeding work, while they have always had an aptitude for petty criminality). Today these trades are over and they are unable to adapt to the new economic conditions, which require continuous learning (even we are struggling here!). They now live almost exclusively from crime, while venereal diseases ravage them.

Our own hypocrisy

Of course, before we start strutting about our supposedly superior law-abidingness, let us mention that, according to prevailing social morality, we consider:

1. criminal, for the Roma to sell narcotics;
2. unethical, for the doctor to perform surgeries without cause;
3. reckless, for the lawyer to forge a will;
4. bold, for the tax officer to extort money;
5. a right, for the pregnant woman to kill the foetus she is carrying;
6. democracy, the industrial manufacture of fairy tales by the media;
7. and magnificent, for Sorras to swindle an entire nation.

Social opprobrium diminishes as the gravity of the crime increases: the criminal ends up in prison — the master criminal writes history.

A solution to the Roma problem

There is no solution to the Roma problem! Just as modern motorways make no provision for carts and pedestrians, modern rhythms of life leave no place for maladjusted people — the exact opposite, that is, of what the liberals believe. It is therefore necessary that they be granted welfare benefits to maintain some basic standard of living (between us, I find it more economical and more just to feed the Roma than the legions of my own contemporaries on premature “old-age” pensions — I know, it is not their fault, but neither is it mine). Subsidised positions of employment and education at a 19th-century level of economy are likewise indispensable — not, of course, for productive work or training, but for them to pass the time.

Inevitable, unfortunately, is also the continuous monitoring of the encampments by strong forces for the prevention and suppression of crime, with zero tolerance at that; since their inclination towards delinquency is innate, while their inclination towards education is non-existent. In a world where everyone is guilty, the real sin is stupidity, and of that they have plenty. The Roma, as a genuine minority (not an imaginary one like certain others), are deserving of our protection, because we all live under the same sky — even if we do not all see the same horizon.

In short

The astonishing Greek countryside would become tedious, if the only birds permitted to sing were nightingales and goldfinches.

• See also the article Defamation
• See also the article Bodily Harm
• See also the article Narcotics
• See also the article Fraud
• See also the article Forgery
• See also the article Embezzlement
• See also the article Manslaughter by Negligence
• See also the article Tax Evasion

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ON CRIMINAL DEFENCE IN CRIMINALITY CASES

1. What sentence am I facing in a narcotics or weapons-possession case?

The sentence depends on the type and quantity of the substance, the status of the perpetrator as a user or trafficker, and the existence of aggravating circumstances such as participation in an organisation. Sentences for trafficking may start at imprisonment (felony), although in many cases substantial reductions are achieved through the recognition of mitigating circumstances (Article 84 of the Penal Code (PK)), such as a previously honest life, sincere remorse or good conduct following the act. In weapons-possession cases, the distinction between simple possession and use for an unlawful purpose is decisive. The right legal strategy from the outset can transform a serious charge into a clearly milder one.

2. What do I do if I am arrested in flagrante delicto?

During the flagrante delicto procedure or preliminary investigation, the defendant has an established right to silence and the right to be assisted by a lawyer from the very first moment. He is not obliged to give a defence statement before consulting his counsel and may request a 48-hour deadline to prepare. Any statement made without a lawyer may be used against him later in the proceedings. It is critical that no document be signed without legal guidance and that spontaneous statements to police officers be avoided, as these are often recorded as confessions even if expressed informally.

3. Can the defendant’s pre-trial detention be avoided?

Pre-trial detention is by law an exceptional measure and is imposed only when milder restrictive measures are insufficient. Counsel may seek the imposition of alternative measures, such as bail, prohibition from leaving the country, an obligation to report to a police station, or house arrest with electronic monitoring. Significant criteria include permanent residence, family circumstances, employment stability and the absence of prior convictions. With proper documentation and timely intervention, a large proportion of pre-trial detention requests are rejected and the defendant faces the case at liberty.

4. Is there a chance of avoiding conviction or having the sentence reduced?

The defence options are multiple and are examined on a case-by-case basis. Procedural defects in the case file, any unlawfully obtained evidence, the validity of searches and seizures, and the limitation period are all reviewed. On the merits, the factual circumstances and the credibility of prosecution witnesses are challenged, while standalone pleas are advanced. In the event of a conviction, suspension of sentence (Article 99 of the Penal Code (PK)), conversion into a monetary penalty (Article 80 of the Penal Code (PK)), buy-out, or community service is sought. The principle of in dubio pro reo mandates acquittal where reasonable doubt remains.

5. How long does a criminal proceeding last?

The duration depends on the gravity of the charge and the competent court. Petty offences and misdemeanours of lesser gravity may be tried within months, while felony cases require an investigation lasting from one to two years before referral to trial. The Mixed Jury Court and the Three-Member Court of Appeals for Felonies frequently experience delays due to caseload. Should an appeal be lodged, the hearing at second instance may be delayed by an additional two years. Counsel monitors the deadlines and exhausts every procedural option for acceleration or strategic postponement.

6. What is the role of the lawyer in a criminal case?

The criminal-defence lawyer takes on the defence from the preliminary investigation phase through to the final and irrevocable judgment. He studies the case file, identifies legal gaps, organises the witness evidence, drafts memoranda and prepares the defendant for his defence statement. He represents his client at the hearing, lodges legal remedies, files applications for the lifting of restrictive measures, and handles procedural matters such as adjournments and defence witnesses. ZIAMPARAS D. & ASSOCIATES has many years of experience in criminal cases of every degree of gravity and approaches every client with absolute confidentiality, without prejudice and guided exclusively by his legal protection.