In an attack on New Democracy and the government on Tuesday, during which he repeated a call for early elections, main opposition PASOK-Movement for Change leader Nikos Androulakis claimed that a "plan is being orchestrated to discredit European institutions" - including assertions that the European Public Prosecutor's Office was "playing games" at the expense of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the government.
"I hear insinuations regarding geopolitical choices. Is it really Constantine Karamanlis' New Democracy that is saying these things? Are they not ashamed of themselves," Androulakis added, during an interview on a SKAI current affairs programme regarding the EPPO investigations into the management of OPEKEPE, the Greek payment authority for EU agricultural subsidies.
He said this followed a pattern adopted by the government: "The wire-tapping comes to light, they attack independent authorities....they attack judges. Now they are also attacking the EPPO? To say what? That it is playing games with them," he said, noting that he had brought up the issue of OPEKEPE in a question put to the prime minister.
"The scandal at OPEKEPE was already known. If you remember, he replied then that there were 'some shadows'. These 'some shadows' amount to one billion [euros]. I raise the issue publicly once more and Mr. [Lefteris] Avgenakis attacks me personally, saying that I have a 'peculiar obsession' with OPEKEPE and that 'I don't wear the Team Greece jersey'. Therefore, today I ask: Who can the Greek people trust? Me or the corrupt MPs and ministers of New Democracy? European justice or the conspiracy-theory narratives of New Democracy, seeking to diffuse responsibility and effectively distort the public debate on yet another scandal," Androulakis said.
Regarding the prime minister's proposal to make being a minister incompatible with also serving as an MP, the main opposition leader said that this amounted to clutching at straws and was little more than a communications gimmick, as it would not solve the problem.
"A clean solution would be for an MP to be barred from becoming a minister and for a minister to be barred from becoming an MP. Because an MP that becomes a minister and knows that he will run as an MP in the next elections can clearly engage in patronage for his electoral clientele," he added.
Androulakis also noted that this model only worked if there was a single seat or list, expressing his disagreement with lists and a system where the prime minister could appoint ministers, MPs and the judiciary. "I want a prime minister with limits to his power," he said, repeating PASOK's proposal that the leadership of the judicial system should not be chosen by the cabinet, that MEPs and MPs have terms and be selected by voters.
On the illegal wiretapping case and his open letters to those targeted by predator spyware to take legal action, Androulakis noted that the media should address their questions to the parties involved, noting that he had taken his case to court and emerged victorious.
Whereas he had then been accused of "being tiresome" at the time, his actions had now been vindicated by later developments and shown to have value, not for himself but Greek democracy and human rights, the main opposition leader said. "Now we see the prime minister being blackmailed by a retired Israeli officer. When have we ever had a prime minister publicly blackmailed before. Never!"
He additionally criticised the government's failure to control rising prices and profiteering, asking for a reduction of VAT on basic goods, accusing the government of using revenue overperformance generated by soaring prices to hand out benefits and buy votes.
Androulakis concluded by stressing the need for early elections: "We have to go to elections. Reality has shown that we have a government that is being blackmailed and is deeply corrupt, which prefers impunity and playing games with the institutions. Blackmailed by the retired Israeli officer and the MPs that are under prosecution."
He urged the prime minister to do the obvious and expel the MPs in question until justice has rendered its decision.
"As we move toward elections, a large part of society that has become disillusioned with politics, disappointed and angry with the current situation, will choose a governing party to remove New Democracy. I believe that in the end, with a lot of work, struggle, effort, and unity, PASOK will be that choice. All other options are protest votes that will ultimately benefit New Democracy and keep it in power," he said.
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