Apokoronas Mayor: "Democracy Cannot Be Intimidated"
On July 13, 2026, Apokoronas Mayor Charalampos Koukianakis issued a public statement in response to an attack on Sevis Voloydaki, the Member of Parliament for Chania. The statement, published on the municipality's official website, goes beyond a simple condemnation — it delivers a pointed message about the state of democratic culture and the danger of allowing intimidation to shape public life.
"People Without Content"
Koukianakis does not mince his words about those responsible for such attacks. He describes them as people "without substance" who invest in cowardice, anonymity, and bullying. They produce no ideas, put forward no proposals, and offer nothing to society. Their only tool is fear, and their only goal is a few moments of attention through provocation.
The mayor's warning is clear: allowing such individuals to dominate public debate would be the greatest mistake of all.
Determination Over Fear
For Koukianakis, the correct response to political violence and intimidation is not retreat but resolve. He calls on citizens and representatives alike to defend democratic values and political civility. "Democracy," he writes, "is neither blackmailed nor terrorised."
His closing line — "The noise of cowardice will never drown out the power of democracy" — is both a rebuke to the attackers and a statement of solidarity with Voloydaki and all elected officials who face similar threats.
What We Know
The statement refers to an attack against Sevis Voloydaki, MP for Chania. The municipality's press release does not provide further details about the nature or circumstances of the attack. The mayor's response signals that local leadership in the Apokoronas area stands firmly against any form of political intimidation.