Five months is how long the parliamentary investigative committee examining the OPEKEPE scandal has lasted, with 76 witnesses passing through the threshold of Parliament’s room 223, the last being former Agriculture Minister Sotiris Hatzigakis. Political parties now have just a few days to draft their findings, which will be discussed in committee at the end of the month. The session was marked once again by continuous interruptions from Course of Freedom leader Zoe Konstantopoulou, who unleashed her attacks on both the presidency and “blue” rapporteur Makarios Lazaridis as she expressed her disagreement with closing the investigation, while referring to “little dictators” and provoking angry reactions from the majority benches.
“You are not a general, nor Papadopoulos!” she shouted at Andreas Nikolakopoulos, causing both the committee president and Makarios Lazaridis to react strongly. “Aren’t you ashamed finally, showing no respect for anyone? Shame on you!” Mr. Nikolakopoulos replied. The parliamentary “thermometer” reached new heights when the Course of Freedom leader requested the floor to speak. When the committee president told her to be brief, she responded “don’t cut off my microphone. You are so small, this behavior is pathetic. Only with technical support can you manage…” For his part, Andreas Nikolakopoulos asked her to stop insulting the presidency, with Zoe Konstantopoulou replying that “you are not a dictator. You are a little president with technical support.”
Immediately after, Makarios Lazaridis spoke of “populism” and “toxicity” in the opposition, with Zoe Konstantopoulou laughing sarcastically. “Who’s laughing?” the investigative committee president then asked, with Zoe Konstantopoulou responding in an intense tone that “soon you’ll ask me: ‘why did you move?’…” “Oh my God!” the Course of Freedom leader exclaimed shortly after, with Andreas Nikolakopoulos asking: “Who’s sighing here?”
The heated exchange in detail:
Zoe Konstantopoulou: You are not a general, nor Papadopoulos!
Makarios Lazaridis: Hearing dictators’ names in committee does not bring honor…
Zoe Konstantopoulou: Since some of you imitate him, they should be heard.
Andreas Nikolakopoulos: Don’t mention such names. Don’t operate this way.
Zoe Konstantopoulou: You have the Spartans flying high.
Andreas Nikolakopoulos: We see such behaviors from you.
Zoe Konstantopoulou: Yours are the fascist behaviors!
Andreas Nikolakopoulos: These behaviors are yours. Don’t you respect anyone?
Zoe Konstantopoulou: You are not worthy of respect! You dare to speak! You are not worthy of respect!
Andreas Nikolakopoulos: I don’t care about your opinion! Shout! Aren’t you finally ashamed, showing no respect for anyone? Shame on you!
Makarios Lazaridis: If she had shame, she wouldn’t mention the dictator’s name.
Zoe Konstantopoulou: The “Free Hour” journalist…
Andreas Nikolakopoulos: Do you want to go to the Ethics Committee again?
Zoe Konstantopoulou: Yes, beat me up too…
Andreas Nikolakopoulos: We don’t do such things.
Zoe Konstantopoulou: Little dictators!
Andreas Nikolakopoulos: You will impose dictatorship, whenever and if ever in the chronicles…
“Fire” against PASOK and SYRIZA
After completing her attack on the presidency and Makarios Lazaridis, she then turned to PASOK and SYRIZA, accusing them of a “lukewarm” reaction “while a terrible cover-up is about to happen in the investigation.” She noted “we hear that a new case file will come with 50 MPs. Are other parties worried too? Will the opposition consent to the cover-up?” Taking the floor, Milena Apostolaki said PASOK is accountable only to citizens, adding that it has denounced the committee’s closure from the first moment. SYRIZA bears no responsibility for completing the investigation, Kostas Barkas emphasized on his part. Finally, the next step after discussing the findings will be to deliver them to the Parliament president.
