Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis spoke in strong terms on ERTnews regarding the stance of Zoe Konstantopoulou in the trial for the Tempi tragedy, openly accusing her of violating legislation and systematically attempting to obstruct the justice process. The trigger was her posting of a video which, as the minister claimed, was recorded illegally and shows a police officer asking her to stop filming.
Georgiadis on OPEKEPE: “No one knows what this case file contains”
Regarding the new case file, election scenarios and internal party balances in New Democracy, Mr. Georgiadis maintained low tones concerning the second case file for the scandal of illegal subsidies at OPEKEPE, which is being forwarded to Parliament. “Folks, stay calm. How do these scenarios reach your ears? Nobody knows what this case file contains,” he said characteristically, rejecting talks of cabinet reshuffles or early elections. He emphasized that he will not comment before studying the material. “The file reaches Parliament. Those interested go, study it and see what it’s about. When I see it, I’ll gladly tell you if I consider it serious or not. If I don’t see it, what can I tell you?”
At the same time, he noted that forwarding case files to Parliament is a routine procedure. “Many things reach Parliament from prosecutors for immunity lifting and are not accepted. It’s a very common procedure.”
The minister hinted at the content of the allegations, saying: “If what we’re discussing is political mediation, which was intercepted, then if prosecutors monitor the phones of all politicians on the planet, no democracy will remain anywhere.” He added: “If political mediation by an MP to satisfy a citizen’s request is considered a criminal offense, it doesn’t seem like a serious discussion. But let’s see what the file says.”
Responding to a question about whether the case causes internal party turbulence, Mr. Georgiadis was categorical: “Do you see any cracks in New Democracy? I see absolutely none.”
Adonis Georgiadis: Politics has become involved in the Tempi case and that’s not good
The Health Minister attacked Ms. Konstantopoulou, saying that posting a video with a police officer who refuses to be filmed is illegal. “Videotaping a person without their permission is, according to final Supreme Court decisions, a felony,” Mr. Georgiadis emphasized, adding that this act constitutes “another violation of the Penal Code by Mrs. Konstantopoulou.” As he said, “I don’t know what makes the lady president think that for some reason she is above the laws of the Greek state.”
In the controversial part of the dialogue, the police officer is heard telling her: “I don’t want you to videotape me, you’re violating article such-and-such of the Penal Code.” The minister appeared certain that Justice will move ex officio regarding the video posted by Ms. Konstantopoulou. “A prosecutor cannot fail to intervene. We have a citizen, a police officer who tells her ‘you’re violating the law,’ and she continues and uploads it to social media. Is there a greater definition of illegality than this?”
“Mrs. Konstantopoulou doesn’t want the trial to end”
The minister went even further, arguing that the president of Plefsi Eleftherias has a strategic goal to delay or even block the trial: “Mrs. Konstantopoulou doesn’t want the trial to end. She will do everything to delay the procedure: recusal requests, objections, interruptions. If she doesn’t, don’t call me Spyridon Adonis Georgiadis,” he said characteristically. According to him, this stance is not isolated but a “technique” she has applied in other trials, citing as an example the case in Volos, where, he said, a request for immunity lifting had been sent for obstructing the procedure.
Mr. Georgiadis emphasized that political confrontation has invaded the courtroom, which undermines the essence of the procedure: “Unfortunately, politics became involved in the case of the Tempi tragedy. And when politics and political interest get involved in a judicial procedure, that’s not for the good. Courts must stay away from politics.”
At the same time, he categorically rejected allegations that the government has an interest in not proceeding with the trial, noting that “if we didn’t want it to happen, simply the courtroom wouldn’t have been completed.”
“If we don’t have a majority, we’ll have elections again”
In case of New Democracy not achieving a parliamentary majority, the only party with which there could be governmental cooperation is PASOK, said Mr. Georgiadis, adding however that after PASOK’s recent congress decision, the possibility of coalition government “said goodbye to us,” as he characteristically stated. “If we don’t have a majority, we’ll have elections again,” he concluded.
