Greece's Main opposition New Democracy party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis rejected Thursday's invitation by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, that they face each other in a televised debate ahead of the European elections on May 26.
The announcement was made by ND spokesperson Sofia Zacharaki who said that Mr Mitsotakis ''has already answered SYRIZA's repeated call [for a televised debate], announcing his censure motion against Pavlos Polakis for his vulgar aspersions against Stelios Kympouropoulos."
Zacharaki also pointed out that "Tsipras' decision to turn the censure motion into a vote of confidence in his government, in fear of Polakis' condemnation by even SYRIZA deputies, effectively gives the parliamentary session in question "the characters of a three-way debate that covers all issues."
Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis recently publicly denounced a paraplegic New Democracy European Parliament candidate for having been hired as a National Health Service doctor under an affirmative action process that favours applicants with a disability.
In reaction, ND tabled a motion of no-confidence against Polakis, which was then converted into a confidence vote in the government by PM Tsipras.
