The Albanian businessman Astrit Tota from Kukësi, who kept 13 immigrants locked in a trailer in Alexandroupolis and accused them of being responsible for the massive fires that have engulfed the country, has given his version to the Greek media.
"I am not a fascist or a racist," he told Greek media GRTimes, identifying himself as a person who has no racist feelings.
" The place where I was is 200 meters from my business. Several improvised incendiary structures were found in the area. The suburbs and settlements of Alexandroupolis, as well as the University General Hospital, had been evacuated the previous days. Of course, all the residents had lost sleep and were on the alert in case the fire found us during the night.
At the specific point between Alexandroupolis and N. Kili, behind a chain of supermarkets, I noticed a group of 13 people, who were around an object and tried to set it on fire holding a balloon that smelled of gasoline and had brought a knife with them . I immediately called two of my fellow citizens who were at the scene and asked them to throw away the knives and items they were holding.
We prevented them from creating an active source of fire within the urban fabric. We tried not to let them escape and they attacked us. I immediately called the police and after ten minutes a police patrol arrived at the scene and took them away".
The video was made while we were waiting for the police to arrive, as I wanted to inform my fellow citizens about the event, that after so many days of firefighting, I spotted arsonists in the city. I didn't care if they were immigrants, if they came from Albania, Syria, Greece or Australia. I am neither a fascist nor a racist, and I am absolutely sure that my fellow citizens in Aleksandoupoli, with whom I have done business all these years, also know this," he concludes.
According to the lawyer of the businessman, Mr. Vasilis Demiri, the case is being investigated in two aspects by the Court of Justice, which is the only one competent to decide.
"We will provide every possible help and every element that will contribute to the search for the essential truth. At the moment, we have received a deadline for apologizing to Mrs. Anakritria for Friday ", he said to GRTimes.