Parliament has approved the amendment through which the government raises a protective shield for the Monument of the Unknown Soldier. The amendment voted by Parliament on Wednesday afternoon emphasizes that the Monument of the Unknown Soldier is a monument of particular historical and national significance. Thus, responsibility for protecting the Monument remains with the Ministry of Citizen Protection, while maintenance, care and enhancement are undertaken by the Ministry of National Defense. “The Ministry of National Defense undertakes the maintenance, care and enhancement of the Monument and the area, either with its own means or through the assignment of relevant contracts,” the amendment characteristically emphasizes.
The amendment was voted on with a roll call vote, during which 159 MPs voted in favor and 134 MPs voted against. The government amendment was also voted for by independent MPs Giorgos Aspiotis, Konstantinos Floros and Charis Katsivardas.
Defense Minister Nikos Dendias was normally present at the vote despite reports that he would use an absentee ballot. It should be noted that both the Communist Party and SYRIZA had requested a roll call vote, while the discussion took place amid two days of tension with the entire opposition referring to Mr. Dendias’ absence from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ speech.
Unknown Soldier – Mantzos: “When will the rushing Defense Minister come to present his amendment for the Monument”
The climate in the plenary, both yesterday and today, was tense. “We’ve been talking for so many hours and so many days about the Unknown Soldier, the ‘Unknown Minister’. When exactly, at what time, will the rushing Defense Minister come to present to the plenary his amendment for the Monument of the Unknown Soldier? Yesterday we learned shortly after the Prime Minister’s speech that the responsible Minister Mr. Dendias attended an event at a hotel directly across from Parliament. What prevented him from crossing Amalias Avenue, passing by the Unknown Soldier who – as he himself stated – is a place of unity and unanimity, and the space in front of it that has been connected to the universal demand for justice in the Tempe tragedy, and coming to Parliament to present the amendment?” emphasized PASOK parliamentary spokesperson Dimitris Mantzos.
“With everything that’s happening, with Mr. Dendias’ statement yesterday, the aspect that N. Androulakis highlighted yesterday in his speech is fully confirmed: The sacred Monument of the Unknown Soldier becomes a tool for settling intra-party scores. Intra-party conflict over a Monument of Unity and over the body of a society wounded by division and toxicity. Because we heard the prime minister in today’s interview, we don’t know and don’t care if they spoke and if he disagreed. As for the roll call vote, the prime minister of absentee ballots shouldn’t talk about roll call voting – we saw what happened here at the end of July and how much the majority leader himself feared his own majority,” he also pointed out.
“But we’re not doing radio small talk here. This is Parliament and we follow regulations. The rushing Minister must present the amendment he’s presenting. Or maybe he’s not the one presenting it? He needs to explain to us. The Justice Minister spoke, in the context of the unconstitutionality objection, about the amendment that supposedly the Defense Ministry is rushing and concerns the Defense Ministry. What capacity is the Justice Minister acting in, finally, as national prosecutor, as national legislator, as what? With what authority did he present it so eagerly?” Mr. Mantzos added.
“I’ll close as I began. Because your publicity stunt backfired. Because the clear and deep differentiation between the Maximos Mansion and the Defense Ministry cannot be hidden. We ask the presidency: what time will the Defense Minister come to present his Ministry’s amendment?” concluded the PASOK parliamentary spokesperson.
Unknown Soldier: “Counterattack” from Mitarakis
Immediately after, SYRIZA parliamentary spokesperson Nikos Pappas took the floor and denounced the “deeply anti-parliamentary practice of Mr. Mitsotakis.” Commenting on the fact that the prime minister left the plenary while the SYRIZA president was speaking, he emphasized that “Mr. Mitsotakis insults the Body when shortly after you turn your back and he leaves.
Yesterday we had a statement from Mr. Dendias who is rushing the amendment. Mr. Dimas, in a few hours this amendment might become state law. Mr. Mitsotakis appeared on the radio to tell us nothing happened. He managed with his vindictive mania to turn a universal demand for justice into an intra-party game.” “The responsible minister must appear. Explain to us Mr. Dimas if there is a minister in the government scheme who will implement the provision. You have committed constitutional and moral hubris. The entire people know that this amendment is due to the political crushing you suffered from Mr. Routsis,” he concluded. According to Peti Perka, “it is absolutely necessary for the Defense Minister to appear. It’s unacceptable for you to tell us the minister spoke by phone. We don’t care, the minister must appear.”
For his part, New Democracy parliamentary spokesperson Notis Mitarakis, rejecting the opposition’s demand, emphasized that “the most competent person, the country’s prime minister, explained the amendment to you. Formally it’s supported by seven co-responsible ministers. Of the seven, Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis was present. There’s no procedural issue, soon there will be a roll call vote where it will be shown that all 156 of ND vote. And Mr. Dendias signed and accepted it.”
Finally, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Christos Dimas noted that “the prime minister was here and supported the amendment. Soon in the roll call we’ll see who will vote. Everyone should take their responsibilities.”
