Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched a frontal attack on the opposition following statements made during the initial speeches by opposition party leaders. Opening his rebuttal, the Prime Minister targeted the leader of Plefsi Eleftherias, Zoe Konstantopoulou, for referring to the refugee protests on Alexandras Avenue while failing to mention Giorgos Mylonakis’s health ordeal. “I found it interesting that Ms. Konstantopoulou found time to mention the refugee issue but not a word, not even the formalities, about Mr. Mylonakis,” the Prime Minister initially stated.
Read: “Barb” from Mitsotakis to Konstantopoulou: Not a word, not even formalities for Mr. Mylonakis
Referring to statements about the Tempe rail tragedy, he quoted the president of the Union of Judges and Prosecutors. “We have witnessed many discussions, Mr. Androulakis has made two no-confidence motions over Tempe,” he said regarding the rail disaster. “Have no doubt. Justice cannot be blackmailed nor can it become an object of bullying. The Tempe trial is too important to be left to your appetites,” the Prime Minister added.
Regarding OPEKEPE, he said: “The issues concerning OPEKEPE: What are they? It essentially started in 2019, involving only New Democracy MPs. The country has paid fines and refunds exceeding 3 billion that date back to the 1980s. Mr. Androulakis, didn’t PASOK govern during all those years?” he wondered, repeating the words of the late Theodoros Pangalos who had said there should be “honesty among thieves.”
Kyriakos Mitsotakis: The OPEKEPE scandal is cross-party
The Prime Minister reiterated that the OPEKEPE scandal is cross-party. “Both parties bear responsibility. When you come and claim that the OPEKEPE scandal is ‘blue,’ you’re writing off PASOK’s party-state system, when the state was captured in the 1980s. You rushed to condemn our MPs. The European prosecutor seeks to lift immunity for investigation… This is an institution created in 2020, it cannot investigate previous periods,” he said, emphasizing that until justice makes its decisions, no one has been convicted.
Addressing Nikos Androulakis, he said: “You presented a dystopian image of a country between Hungary and Venezuela. Who should Greek citizens believe – the EU, the Economist, you, Mr. Famellos, or Ms. Konstantopoulou? Mr. Tsipras did exactly the same before the 2023 elections. Citizens didn’t see the Greece you’re presenting. You submitted the KEFIM report on legislation. Did you read it? Don’t expose yourself so much. Perhaps your associates need to do better work so they don’t expose you.”
Constitutional revision within May
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister announced that discussion on Constitutional Revision will begin within May. As Kyriakos Mitsotakis said, the process “will start with discussion of 25 articles.” “The time has come for an honest discussion about the electoral system that serves the country,” the Prime Minister emphasized, addressing Mr. Androulakis. “For eight months we’ve been talking about Independent Authorities and you refuse to enter this discussion, as you have an institutional obligation to do,” he noted.
Mitsotakis’s barbs against Androulakis
Subsequently, making pointed remarks about Androulakis’s call for elections, the Prime Minister characteristically stated: “When you expressed the request for elections, you said it in a… constrained way. ‘Maybe he’ll accept it?’ Mr. Androulakis, elections will be held at the end of the four-year term. Your goal is for New Democracy to have a majority so you don’t have to make decisions after the elections. Aligning with the most extreme voices within parliament, you’re showing your anxiety about who will capture second place. You? Or the one who’s coming and whose name they don’t much mention in SYRIZA. I really laugh… To see the leader who brought you to these percentages and not have the courage to take a position.”
