NATO's bombardment of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia caused a strong popular reaction in Greece, Prime Minister
Costas Simitis sought a political solution to the
Kosovo conflict. Greece refused to participate in the strikes against Yugoslavia.
Several polls were conducted, of which revealed that 99.5% of the Greek population were completely opposed to the bombing, with 85% believing NATO's motives were strategic and not humanitarian.
[30] 69% wanted U.S. President
Bill Clinton tried for war crimes, while 52% opposed the admittance of Kosovo Albanian refugees to Greece.
[31] Another poll showed 94% disapproval.
[32]
20 prominent Greek judges of the supreme court (Council of State) signed a declaration, where they declared NATO guilty of war crimes.
[31] The more dramatic event was a People's Tribunal of over a 10.000 people in Athens, Greece, where the Greek Supreme Court declared president Clinton and NATO leaders guilty of war crimes.
[33]
During a
C-SPAN discussion in 2005 with General Wesley Allen Clark, the commander of
NATO during the Kosovo War and NATO bombings, it was reported that several Greek non-governmental organizations were sending relief supplies in the middle of the bombings, which caused the bombing of certain targets more difficult, the intention of the organizations was to forestall the military action by sending humanitarian aid to the Kosovo Serb enclaves.