YOU’RE NOT BEING PARANOID IF THEY REALLY ARE OUT TO GET YOU

Well, we can all sleep soundly now. The country’s number one public menace has been identified—the enemy of the people, the greatest threat to democracy, institutions, and the very fabric of society itself. And this is the second time in nine months!

The first was when he was removed from his position as Auditor General. Back then, the Supreme Court, the Attorney General’s Office, the Deputy Attorney General, the Presidential Palace, and DISY all concluded that perhaps the country’s only public servant who actually did his job was to blame for all the nation’s ills. Today, roughly the same cast of characters, plus the police, are trying to convince us that Odysseas Michaelidis is practically the “17 November of institutions” [Editor’s note: Editor’s note: The 17 November Group was a Greek Marxist–Leninist urban guerrilla organisation, responsible for various fatal attacks and robberies between 1975-2002.]—a terrorist planting bombs at the foundations of our democratic system, threatening to blow up the entire edifice of the Republic of Cyprus. Ironically, this same edifice has been steadily and methodically dismantled since its inception.

Yes, I agree that Odysseas’s complaint of a conspiracy involving the Presidential Palace, Anastasiades, the Attorney General, and eight Supreme Court justices aimed at his removal, with sources amounting to “trust me, bro”, sounds like yet another tall tale, neither better nor worse than the countless similar, far-fetched, and unsubstantiated claims we hear from public figures over the years. Yet none of these figures have been dragged to police stations on ridiculous charges like “contempt of court”—a law dating back to 1960 that should have stayed there. Just days ago, we had a double whammy from our beloved “Don’t Do It” Fedon [Editor’s note: The person referenced here is Paphos mayor Phedon Phedonos], who, between emptying bins and the filling of the Municipal Gardens—found time to investigate and conclude that: a) some forex companies on the island have many clients in Latin America, ergo they’re cartel accountants; and b) some online university programmes are fake. To be fair, Phedon was called by police to provide evidence (?), but he came out swinging again, slamming the police for leaving him high and dry with the cartels, claiming his life was in danger (besides Narcos, he’s clearly also watched Sicario too), and telling the Chief he’d give his statement at a time and place of his own choosing because… fuck you, that’s why.

The truth is, this is typically how various tall tales from public figures are handled—because they can get away with it. At best, an investigation might be launched into the subject of the allegation. In Odysseas’s case, not only was the content of his complaint ignored, but he himself risks ending up in the dock under an outdated 1960s law that has likely never resulted in a conviction. One thing is certain: when this police force shows excessive zeal for a case, there’s something rotten in the state of Denmark. We’re talking about a police force that displays admirable tolerance for hate crimes, the underworld, hooliganism, and far-right thugs, yet shows zero tolerance for journalists who raise federal flags or for statements by (now political figure) Odysseas that could simply be ignored, as they had been until now. Meanwhile, it wastes precious police hours calling journalists to stations to… verify they were indeed the ones on their own programmes where Odysseas appeared, and whether he actually said what thousands of viewers saw and heard him say. No shit, Sherlock!

Amidst this shitstorm—this police-political theatre of the absurd we’re living through—the police, Attorney General, and Presidential Palace are once again trying to convince us (using the familiar method of gaslighting) that pursuing Odysseas and conducting mass interrogations of journalists serves… the good of democracy, the public interest, and the defence of institutions—not to send a brief but resounding message: Odysseas should watch what he says, and journalists should watch where they say it.

Yes, absolutely. Do try again, this time as if you actually believe it.

This article was originally published on 11.06.2025

Source: YOU’RE NOT BEING PARANOID IF THEY REALLY ARE OUT TO GET YOU