Regarding the increased pressures that New Democracy has been called to manage lately, the wiretapping case, and Laura Codruța Kövesi, Dora Bakogianni spoke today, Wednesday (29/04). In her interview on SKAI 100.3, Mrs. Bakogianni mentioned that “this is truly a time when the role of the MP must be discussed,” something that – as she noted – the political system must reexamine. With this in mind, Mrs. Bakogianni reintroduced her proposal for changing the electoral law, supporting a mixed system with single-seat constituencies and party lists, estimating that it would upgrade the quality of political representation.
“I am therefore entitled to say that in my opinion a system that would have single-seat constituencies and lists in the regions would bring people of another level into politics. And I claim this, I believe it with full knowledge,” she stated characteristically. It is reminded that this specific parameter had also been put on the table by Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his speech in the rule of law discussion on Thursday, April 16, at the Parliament’s Plenary.
Dora Bakogianni: “After the elections, let’s have an honest discussion about which electoral system better serves Democracy”
“The time has come after the elections to have an honest discussion about which electoral system better serves Democracy, about the usefulness of preference voting, whether we want to discuss the logic of a mixed system with smaller and larger regions and whether some will be elected by preference vote and others by list. Are you ready for this discussion?” the Prime Minister had characteristically wondered.
What she said about Laura Codruța Kövesi
Mrs. Bakogianni referred to the pre-congress dialogue that is underway in New Democracy, noting that the party is heading towards a congress during a period of increased pressure on the Parliamentary Group. As she emphasized, the MPs received “a very big attack from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office,” while she also commented on Laura Codruța Kövesi’s statements, saying characteristically: “here Mrs. Kövesi told us the tearful story of the female farmer who contacted her.”
She conveyed the concern that – as she said – New Democracy MPs express, posing the question of whether the validity of the complaints was checked, noting that “what is the difference from what we do?” At the same time, she expressed her opposition to the intense criticism exercised for MP interventions, wondering “is it possible in a European country for an article by 5 MPs to be considered rebellion?”, speaking of a distortion in the functioning of the political system.
“There is a sense among the people that Justice is à la carte Justice”
Referring to the wiretapping issue and more broadly to the functioning of institutions, she warned about the danger of devaluing Justice, noting that “there is a sense among the people that Justice is à la carte justice,” something she characterized as a “huge mistake.” As she emphasized, criticism of judicial decisions is legitimate, but not questioning the institution itself, underlining that “parliamentarism cannot be shot down, equally justice cannot be shot down either.”
Speaking finally about former Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, she expressed her wish for him to also be present at the upcoming New Democracy congress.
