“Nikos Dendias made some observations which more or less find all of us in agreement,” stated New Democracy parliamentary spokesman Dimitris Kairidis, speaking on Parapolitika 90.1 during the “On Air” show with journalist Niki Lyberaki. “Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been by far first in the polls since he was elected president of New Democracy. For ten years now, ND’s leading position, despite all the wear and problems we have after 7 years of governance, has not been challenged and consequently such a thing is not at issue. Obviously Nikos Dendias is a very prominent minister with important work who made some observations which more or less find all of us in agreement,” he noted characteristically.
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When asked if he agrees with Dendias’s formulation about “closed technocrat chancelleries and mercenaries of power,” Mr. Kairidis responded: “The fact that people elect us and we are for the people, now that the result of the European elections was not satisfactory and everything else is an observation which from Mitsotakis to the last New Democracy official would agree with. Beyond that, Nikos Dendias is not a third-party observer, he participates and moreover from a high position of responsibility in the government, and he and all of us have co-responsibility. We are not uninvolved, that is, with the good and the bad, I think much more the good.”
Dimitris Kairidis: MPs should play an even more important role
Regarding the role of MPs, Mr. Kairidis said: “There was a discussion about the role of MPs which finds me in agreement regarding the upgrade. MPs should play an even more important role.” “They have certainly not been upgraded. For example, parliamentary amendments should be discussed and put to vote without necessarily having the agreement of the relevant minister. Parliament should have its own autonomous legislative initiative and issues should be put up for dialogue. MPs should participate in the formulation of bills and not simply be called to vote in favor at the last minute. MPs are the cell of democracy, they are the representatives of the people, they are elected in universal suffrage, they have the guarantees of democratic legitimacy and everything else refers to employees,” he added.
Regarding complaints in New Democracy’s parliamentary group about the different treatment of MPs and ministers, for example in OPEKEPE, and whether there is a two-speed logic, he answered: “The procedure for lifting parliamentary immunity is completely different, where Parliament cannot go into the substance, and completely different is the procedure for criminal liability of ministers according to Article 86 where it must go into the substance and find evidence of guilt. If these do not exist, we cannot necessarily invent them to play the role of opposition.”
When asked if he believes the wiretapping case should be investigated, Mr. Kairidis replied: “The government will possibly invoke reasons of national interest and foreign policy and possibly based on the recommendation of the scientific committee that remains to be seen, requiring the 151 votes of Parliament. Beyond that, we all understand that politically, on the road to elections, the government wants these issues regarding the political aspect – because the criminal part is evolving and is independent of course – to close them as quickly as possible.”
