Marinakis on OPEKEPE: Political evaluation does not issue judicial judgments of guilt or acquittal

Regarding the lifting of parliamentary immunity, helium said determination is nary contradiction successful the government’s decisions, noting: “From the precise archetypal moment, I stated connected behalf of the authorities that the announcement by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office constituted—and inactive constitutes—a superior development. When the authoritative decides to petition the lifting of immunity for definite MPs, it is not due to the fact that they are defendants or, adjacent worse, guilty, arsenic immoderate person already judged, but due to the fact that this is simply a prerequisite for them to supply explanations. If they were not MPs, they would simply person been called to springiness explanations. What would travel is simply a abstracted determination for the judiciary successful each case. The case-by-case appraisal was ne'er astir the lifting of immunity itself.”

He added: “As I explained the pursuing time during the governmental briefing, lifting immunity aft 2019 has efficaciously go the rule, unless a lawsuit falls wrong parliamentary duties. In immoderate case, the MPs themselves requested the lifting of their immunity successful bid to beryllium accountable earlier justice, declaring their presumption and, arsenic each expressed it, their innocence. Therefore, anyone speaking astir the lifting of immunity regarding our MPs is ‘knocking connected unfastened doors.’ The case-by-case reappraisal concerns the governmental valuation of each situation.”

“Political valuation does not nutrient judicial judgments of guilt oregon acquittal. It relates to the existent facts of a lawsuit arsenic they look successful public. But since you began with an audio clip of Mr. Androulakis, person of the absorption and president of PASOK—what is PASOK fundamentally saying? That due to the fact that a fig of New Democracy MPs volition soon person their immunity lifted, determination is an contented of authorities legitimacy, portraying it arsenic a ‘government of defendants oregon suspects,’ adjusting their wording due to the fact that adjacent ‘defendants’ was legally inaccurate,” helium said.

He continued: “I looked into it—it doesn’t instrumentality much, you don’t request to beryllium ‘Inspector Clouseau.’ From 2023 to today, during this parliamentary term, PASOK MPs person had their immunity lifted 7 times successful total. Considering that PASOK’s parliamentary radical has 32 members, that’s astir 20%. This doesn’t mean each cases are arsenic superior oregon impact the aforesaid offenses, but for example, 2 impact breach of work and 1 concerns inaccurate plus declarations. Again, these individuals, similar our MPs, whitethorn beryllium acquitted oregon person nary involvement. Have you ever heard america assertion that Mr. Androulakis leads a ‘parliamentary radical of defendants’? Such claims are unacceptable.”

Referring to the transportation of OPEKEPE to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), Marinakis stressed: “Even if delayed, we are taking responsibility—the large betterment has been implemented, and OPEKEPE has been transferred to AADE. Why is this significant? Because nary 1 tin present telephone AADE to petition a higher subsidy, conscionable arsenic nary 1 tin inquire for a bigger taxation refund oregon little ENFIA. This betterment ensures nary 1 tin intervene anymore, whether for thing illegal—which is simply a substance for justice—or adjacent for thing legal. Only New Democracy’s parliamentary radical voted for this reform. Those successful absorption who knock amerciable cultivation subsidies did not enactment this change, which aims to enactment an extremity to the phenomenon.”

On the anticipation of abolishing preferential voting, helium said: “Any connection that reduces voters’ power—because that’s what preferential voting is, the look of citizens’ choice—moves successful the incorrect direction.”

He added: “Any connection that increases the fig of authorities MPs oregon introduces single-member constituencies similar the German model, wherever lone 1 campaigner runs per district, does not needfully mean the champion campaigner wins. It moves successful the incorrect absorption and has elitist characteristics, successful my view. Personally, I judge the astir important happening successful authorities is the people’s verdict, and I mean to stay successful authorities lone for arsenic agelong arsenic radical privation maine determination done their vote.”

Finally, regarding the premier minister’s announcement astir banning societal media entree for children nether 15, helium explained: “This is being done present due to the fact that it requires clip to instrumentality technically. It’s not thing you tin power connected overnight. There indispensable beryllium coordination and mentation astatine the European level—hence the premier minister’s missive to Ursula von der Leyen. It’s a conflict we indispensable combat together: parents, the state, society, and each governmental parties. It’s a European issue, not conscionable a Greek one,” helium concluded.