“We promptly responded to the request to open parliament earlier in the hope that there will be decisions on the work of state structures. I hope that the discussion will take place in an atmosphere of national responsibility, and we will look for common ground,” he stressed. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, starting his speech in Parliament, in a preliminary discussion at the level of party leaders, which is held at the initiative of President SYRIZA Al. Tsipras for follow up from EIP.

“The collective mistakes of all governments must find their mature collective overcoming,” the prime minister continued, adding that “when I was informed of the legal connection of Nikos Androulakis, I did not hesitate to admit that it was a mistake. This was followed by a change of faces in the EMP and the Prime Minister’s office. And then the act of the law on improving the work of the EEM, and I responded to the request to bring the case to the Plenary meeting, to the transparency committee and create a commission of inquiry.”

“None of our initiatives should undermine the important national work being done by EYP,” continued Kyriakos Mitsotakis, noting that it should “improve, not hinder, its activities. Because it was she who helped us find us ready for the massive immigrant invasion of Evros in 2020.”

“Nothing should call into question the valuable weapon of the state. A slip should not paralyze an important state structure,” the prime minister continued. “We need to know that the secret services operate on a fine line. Today there are 500 illegal programs on the market, many of them have access to mobile phones, I was told.”

“We must find a balance between freedom and security. In many EU countries, there are signs and evidence that the surveillance software is working,” said Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “Ms. Metsola also said,” he added and continued, “that in socialist Spain, it was found on Sanchez was intercepted in a different way.I was also informed by authoritative journalists, whom you often quote, that I was a victim of a conspiracy, like my wife and daughter, when I was a candidate for prime minister. , to which you often refer, and it would be interesting to know which paracenters listened to me when Mr. Tsipras was prime minister.”

“Many abroad would like an undefended and weak Greece,” the prime minister said after his speech at an early debate in parliament. “Misunderstanding, when illegal software and legitimate links are being deliberately traded, should disappear. With regard to the former, there are clear assurances that they are not used by the Greek authorities, and they are contained in a confidential opinion, which I ask you to convey to the members of the Commission.”

“I remember that the SYRIZA government removed the second signature of the appellate prosecutor to assert legal ties,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis emphasized elsewhere in his speech and said that “there is a legal gap in the case of Nikos Androulakis. EYP had to have appropriate filters and show the necessary reflexes. Therefore, I spoke of a politically unacceptable action, and we returned the second signature of the appellate prosecutor. It is obvious that the activities of the secret services are shrouded in secrecy away from the public eye, and all their employees are obliged to maintain secrecy for life. Necessary as it may be, the public approach to this activity is just as complex. Those who deny it are hiding behind the finger. From the first hour, the government called the interested party to inform and immediately agreed to start all parliamentary procedures, while the judiciary was also mobilized at the highest level. We must support the prosecutor’s work, not persecute him. If Mr. Androulakis insists on questioning the legal connection, I suggest that he go to a Greek or European court.”

“In the name of transparency, intelligence reports will not become leaflets, as you did at the recent meeting of the Committee on Institutions and Transparency, where your MPs broadcast the meeting live to the media,” Kyriakos said. Mitsotakis, addressing the official opposition. “Of course, public figures should be protected, but not divided and feel that they are in a state of inviolability,” he added and, addressing the President of SYRIZA, emphasized: “If Mr. Tsipras, do you agree with the point of view of Mr. Venizelos, come and say it, but think about how the Golden Dawn broke up.”

Greece for this is a modern European democracy and has the ability to identify and cover up its weaknesses with cutbacks, the prime minister said in continuation of his speech. “I have already voiced 4 areas where the government will make changes, additional guarantees for legitimate connections, but without undermining its work. With the PNP, a hearing of the EYP Commander by the Committee on Institutions and Transparency has become mandatory, which has not been the case in the past. Strengthening the accountability of the Ministry of Defense, increasing the role of the National Security Council, protecting the framework of legal ties.

Themistocles Demiris, a senior diplomat, will need the support of all of us, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said afterwards. “The Commission of Inquiry is investigating what has been done, but its job will be half done if it does not come up with suggestions to improve the bad texts we found.”

Addressing SYRIZA and its President at the time, the Prime Minister noted that “in every national mobilization, SYRIZA and Mr. Tsipras have stood against each other in the context of a small party approach. Against the pandemic, against the protection of the borders, against the defense agreements that protect the country, against the support measures against the energy crisis. And now faced with efforts to update EYP. No originality, sure failure. As before, so now life will refute scenarios of the end of the world.”

“I separated my position from the practice of other times, you insist on pointing the finger, having two of your ministers in the Special Court,” he said then and, turning to Alexis Tsipras, said: Tsipras, for calling me the leader of a criminal organization, you, who was denounced by 5 of your former accomplices for surveillance. Panousis, Valavani, Lafazanis, Kotzias and the fifth person present, Mr. Varoufakis”…

In conclusion: “I would like you, Mr. Varoufakis, to clarify what you said in your speech to Parliament in 2019. Mr. Varoufakis said he personally knew that under Rubatis, the dark state also operated at the expense of the then government. I await your response, Mr. Varoufakis. And of course, you, Mr. Tsipras, were not prime minister at the time the e-mails of the Vice President of the State Council were intercepted and ended up in Avgi the day before the television license law was declared unconstitutional. . These are yours.”

“It is clear that SYRIZA and PASOK are using a real issue to create a supposed scene of political crisis. When you say that Nikos Androulakis’ mobile phone was tapped on my orders, it is a lie, dishonest and unethical, and it applies to those who say it. You generously give arguments to all those who wish Greece weak abroad,” Mr. Mitsotakis said afterwards.

“Immediately after his election, I invited Mr. Androulakis to a meeting, he refused, as now. He said that he does not want to have any contact with the government, it is his right to choose friends and allies, but to know that prime ministers are chosen by the Greek people and not by themselves,” the prime minister stressed. He added: “Tell us, okay did Andreas Papandreou bring the EYP under the prime minister’s office, as I did. It looks like your boss has other plans. The connection between SYRIZA and PASOK is absolute, so many of PASOK’s friends are already wondering, voting for Androulakis, are you in end up voting for Tsipras.”

After his speech, the prime minister asked the question: “What does Mr. Tsipras’s statement that a simple change of power is not enough for parliamentarism mean, and what does the reorganization of the third Greek republic mean?” emphasize that “it is unacceptable and irresponsible to reduce one mistake to the problem of Democracy. Realistically how it will be. Perhaps through the Constitutional Review or through the Constitutional Assembly, which is not provided for in normal periods?

Be careful, Mr. Tsipras,” continued Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “your words carry their own weight. “Today you must explain your plan, how what you have already described will happen. Maybe judges appointed by Mr. Polakis and independent authorities appointed by Ms. Tanu?”

“A new wave of invasion is already being prepared on Evros under supposedly humanitarian cover,” the prime minister continued, saying that “it is shameful that such things are being said by actors inside the country. That is, the Greeks allowed the child to die on Greek soil. As for the incident, now everything is clear from the words of the immigrants themselves. It is unacceptable for Greek lips to bring Turkish arguments,” said Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

“Restrain yourself, gentlemen of SYRIZA, because this issue is extremely important for you to instrument it in this way. We protect the innocent, we protect our borders, which are also the borders of Europe. End of story.”

The prime minister went on to say that the overall picture is that today Greece is officially out of the heightened surveillance regime after 12 years. “He leaves behind memories, taxes, and with them the squares of populism. Last month, I met with three of the most important leaders in the Arabian Peninsula,” he said.

“I’m sticking to this big picture because it will counter the difficult stakes for now. We will not allow those hiding inside and outside of Greece to veer off course. I also know that there are forces that want weak governments and those who cannot stand in the way of Western liberal democracy. In Greece, the ports that once asked for rubles and drachmas will not be resurrected, the media will not be funded by foreign interests. I do not retreat and the Greeks do not retreat, we do not delegate this decision to anyone. You are calling for elections in this situation of instability, without thinking about what it means, don’t you see what is happening in Italy, where are you pushing? To lead the country to instability. I will bear any political costs, I will not run away and after 4 years I will meet face to face. This government is not under pressure. We will never lose the goal of Greece that we deserve,” the prime minister concluded in his speech.

Source: RES-IPE