The parliamentary Ethics Committee has unanimously recommended lifting the immunity of the 11 sitting New Democracy MPs whose names appear in the European Public Prosecutor’s Office case file on the OPEKEPE scandal.
During the committee meeting, Kostas Tsiaras and Notis Mitarakis gave explanations in person, while the remaining nine MPs submitted written memoranda requesting that their immunity be lifted so that, as they said, ‘the truth may come to light’.
In their memoranda, the MPs argued that their actions fell within the scope of their parliamentary duties or concerned interventions on behalf of citizens with legitimate requests, and did not constitute criminal acts. At the same time, they requested the immediate lifting of their immunity so that the case could be investigated and their innocence tested before the courts.
Speaking after his appearance before the Ethics Committee, Notis Mitarakis said: ‘My office, my colleagues and I acted absolutely within the framework of the constitution and our political activity, promoting written requests from citizens who believe they have been wronged by the central administration.’
He added that he had requested the lifting of his immunity in order to clear his name.
‘I appeared before the Ethics Committee today and requested the lifting of my parliamentary immunity. In my written statement, I have explained exactly the facts of the case. I believe that my office, my colleagues and I acted absolutely within the framework of the constitution and our political activity, promoting written requests from citizens who believe that they have been wronged by the central administration. I consider it an obligation of an MP to be close to citizens, absolutely within the framework of legality. From there, although I believe that the correspondence of a political office falls within political activity, because I consider it my primary obligation, towards myself and my family, to clear my name, I immediately request the lifting of my immunity so that I can answer the questions of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office as soon as possible,’ Mitarakis said.
Tsiaras said after his own appearance before the committee: ‘The process of my appearance before the Ethics Committee has just been completed, where I had the opportunity to present all the real facts, but also to answer the questions of my fellow MPs on the committee.’
He said he had requested the lifting of his immunity ‘precisely because it is a matter of personal dignity and because I think we all need to understand that this case must be clarified as soon as possible’.
‘Once again, I repeat that it concerned a legitimate request from a vulnerable citizen, who had been affected by the Mediterranean cyclone Ianos in the Karditsa region. From that point on, we will see everything later,’ he added.
According to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, Serres MP Kostas Karamanlis said in his memorandum that the issue concerned the rejection of the applications of 37 organic farmers on formal grounds, and that payment was made only after the hierarchical appeal procedure provided for by law had been followed. He said the accusations against him were entirely unfounded, denied committing any criminal act and requested that his immunity be lifted.
Trikala MP Katerina Papakosta said she had made a reasonable and legitimate request, while the livestock farmer concerned did not ultimately receive the disputed funds. She also requested the lifting of her immunity and said she would provide explanations to the authorities.
Trikala MP Kostas Skrekas said the case concerned the restoration of the real agricultural activity of a genuine farmer. He argued that no offence or moral instigation could be established at any point and requested the immediate lifting of his immunity.
Dimitris Vartzopoulos, MP for Thessaloniki B, said that ‘from a simple reading of the text message I sent, it becomes clear that I am simply formulating a question, which does not contradict the core duties of an MP’, adding that the case in question did not concern an illegal act causing even the slightest damage to either the Greek or EU budget.
Heraklion MP Maximos Senetakis said that ‘all my actions were taken within the framework of my parliamentary duties’ and requested that his immunity be lifted.
Pella MP Vasileios Vasiliadis said that ‘the request indirectly attributed to me concerned a livestock farmer, for whom the possibility of granting an extension to an upcoming inspection was being discussed among those speaking. However, the inspection was carried out normally,’ and also requested the lifting of his immunity.
Serres MP Theofilos Leontaridis said the interventions attributed to him ‘had as their sole object the speeding up of payment of the farmer’s lawful and guaranteed rights, which existed, had already been finalised and which she had been receiving for many years before and after my mediation’, and he too requested the lifting of his immunity.
Magnesia MP Christos Boukoros said he had contacted the president of OPEKEPE in support of what he described as the legitimate and just request of young livestock farmers struggling in organic farming. ‘I have not committed any criminal offence,’ he said, adding that he requested the lifting of his immunity in order to present the real facts before the competent judicial authorities.
Finally, Yiannis Kefalogiannis, MP for Rethymno, said he had never suggested, incited or imposed on anyone the commission of a criminal act, and that when he became aware of conversations involving his associate that could give rise to suspicions about him, he immediately decided to end the collaboration. He requested the lifting of his immunity so that the case could be judged by the regular courts on its merits, with ‘the sole focus on the truth and the application of the law’.
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