PASOK fell into the “green smoothies” trap, commented government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis regarding the OPEKEPE case. Specifically, responding to a related question, Mr. Marinakis commented: “The revelations highlight the hypocrisy of Mr. Androulakis. PASOK fell into the ‘green smoothies’ trap, I’ll say ‘good riddance'” and added “‘to understand the irrationality of PASOK’s president… to prosecute ministers for felonies who agreed to the technical solution’, they had no economic benefit, they agreed to the technical solution, but ‘it doesn’t matter, we justify those who benefited from using the technical solution'”.
Detailed response from Pavlos Marinakis on the “green smoothies”
“Offsetting means saying that because another party also has members in its ranks who exhibit similar behavior – whether it’s punishable or not will be judged by the justice system, but certainly problematic – then the corresponding officials or members who belong to or are registered with your own party bear no responsibility. We reject this logic entirely. But these revelations highlight the absolute hypocrisy of PASOK under Mr. Androulakis. Because it’s not the overall responsibility of a party historically, and personally, of Mr. Androulakis. Because apparently, members of his party and much more – his close friends and associates – used the technical solution as an excuse to respond to various publications and revelations, which are not just one and I don’t know how many there will be in the coming days and weeks, judging from Mr. Androulakis’s irritation. What did they use as justification? The technical solution. To understand the irrationality of PASOK’s president – and it’s certainly a result of his embarrassment and his constant irritation, as well as all this way they’re trying to manage it, with various videos and such initiatives. He proposes to prosecute two former ministers because they used the technical solution. One wrote that he ‘agrees’, the other requested the resignation, according to PASOK, of OPEKEPE’s president because he didn’t implement the technical solution. However, the connecting thread of all accusations and charges against Mr. Voridis and Mr. Avgenakis is the technical solution, which we’ve said many times is politically a very serious discussion.
So they say ‘let’s prosecute ministers for felonies who agreed to the technical solution’ – they had no economic benefit, they agreed to the technical solution, but ‘it doesn’t matter, we justify those who benefited from using the technical solution’. This is what PASOK tells us, this is what PASOK tells the people. And okay, because lies and hypocrisy have short legs, the revelations about the friends and associates, the long-time friends of Mr. Androulakis, started coming out. And now Mr. Androulakis has nothing to say. And I repeat, you can’t say someone is suspicious, meaning the minister who agreed should be prosecuted, but the one who benefited from the agreement, your friend, your associate, your member, shouldn’t. I repeat, I don’t know if he should also be prosecuted, because if there’s a solution – I don’t know if it should have existed or not, that’s why there should be an investigative committee. The other person can say that this existed, this is how I was paid. It’s being investigated for this reason. I repeat, I neither condemn nor absolve these people. I’m not a judge. So PASOK fell into the ‘green smoothies’ trap, as you very aptly called them, and within a few weeks, the absolute hypocrisy of the main opposition party was revealed. I’ll say good riddance”.
