A new twist has emerged in the case of the rural doctor on the Greek island of Kastellorizo, who was arrested following an incident with a local shop owner. Speaking on MEGA’s live program “Developments Now,” the doctor presented a completely different version of events, claiming that his arrest was portrayed in a thoroughly distorted manner — and setting the record straight about the circumstances of his detention.
“There is a reason why the information appears confused,” he stated pointedly, adding that Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis was referring to a second arrest that took place the following day.
The backstory behind the dispute involving the rural doctor on Kastellorizo
Despite initial rumors suggesting that the complaint had been filed by the Mayor of Megisti, it was revealed that the legal process was set in motion by a local business owner. The conflict began when an ambulance was unable to pass through a street after it was obstructed by a shop’s awning, leading to a heated argument.
However, the final straw was the doctor’s public statement about the incident. As he explained, the business owner believed he had been personally named and defamed on a television program, and filed a complaint on those grounds — despite the doctor never actually naming him. “I never named that specific person. The complaint was filed because the shop owner believed I was referring to him,” the doctor clarified.
“Under arrest as soon as the show ends” — Shots fired at the Ministry of Health
The doctor described the surreal situation unfolding at his island clinic, revealing the direct involvement of authorities: “The police chief informed me that I was under arrest and would come to detain me as soon as the television broadcast was over. If we need to hospitalize a patient, we would literally have to relocate.”
“Everything Adonis says in the video about the arrest — it wasn’t because of the municipal authorities, there was a second separate arrest — it’s all false and absurd. The police were extremely friendly. The complaint was filed because the shop owner believed I had named him and committed defamation,” the doctor concluded.
The case has triggered a wave of reactions and statements from hospital doctors across the country, while Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and the relevant regional health authority maintain that the matter has no bearing on the National Health System.
The tavern owner’s version: “He even went so far as to threaten my mother”
According to the shop owner, the doctor allegedly threatened to report his business to the Health Inspectorate and take action against it. As he claims, tensions escalated quickly and the incident unfolded in front of approximately 80 people.
He further states that the doctor approached him aggressively at close range, prompting him to ask the doctor to step back. According to the owner, his response was misinterpreted, after which the doctor began shouting that he was about to be physically attacked.
Still according to the business owner, the doctor continued shouting inside the tavern, calling the establishment “dirty” and urging customers to leave, while also encouraging those present to enter the kitchen to see, as he claimed, the state of the premises.
The owner recounts that his mother was seated at one of the tables and asked the doctor to stop and allow the customers to continue their meal. According to him, when she revealed that she was his mother, the doctor responded: “Let’s hope you never need my help.”
“We have already filed one complaint over the incident and a second family complaint will follow, regarding the threats and the way he spoke to my mother,” the owner concluded.
