Next Thursday, April 7, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will address the Greek Parliament.
His teleconference speech will take place at approximately noon and will last 10-15 minutes.
According to Proto Thema, all 300 members of Parliament will be invited to attend, while there will be simultaneous translation into Greek and English via the web.
An invitation to address the parliament was made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his recent telephone conversation with Zelensky, with the Ukrainian President gladly accepting.
A similar move has been made by other parliaments, from the German to the US Congress.
Which parties are in favor and which against:
"Regarding the subject of the telephone communication between the two leaders, I reminded him how important a role in the history of the Greek Revolution was played by Odessa and the Black Sea region as a whole," said Mr. Mitsotakis in a post on social networks and added that "I invited him to address the Parliament and I believe that we will be able to organise it in the coming days."
"I consider it important that the message of a President who defends himself and his country against a barbaric and illegal invasion be heard in the National Parliament as well," the Prime Minister stressed.
The official opposition also supported the position of the Ukrainian President in the Greek Parliament, from the very first moment of the announcement of the Prime Minister's initiative to offer Zelensky the opportunity to speak.
Speaking directly on social media, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, George Katrougalos, commented that the invitation to Zelensky was a "positive move of solidarity."
"Greece must play a leading role in the diplomatic effort for an immediate end to the war, as a country of peace and mild power," he added.
At the same time, special mention was made of the situation in Ukraine in the message of the official opposition for the national anniversary of March 25, which concluded as follows: "The Greek Revolution reminds that the condition of Peace is Justice. Oppression and violence against a people as is the case today with the Russian invasion of Ukraine must end. This means respecting the self-determination of peoples and their right to peace."
A positive response to the presence of Zelensky was also recorded by Charilaou Trikoupi. The Movement for Change (KINAL) considered the speech a practical solidarity with the tested country.
On the other hand, the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) said it will be absent from the specific debate in the Parliament in which Zelensky will speak.
"Zelensky represents a reactionary government, backed by the US-NATO-EU camp, and is responsible, like Russia, for the drama of the Ukrainian people," commented sources close to the KKE.
They added: "For years this government has supported and integrated Nazi organisations, persecuted and imprisoned communists, and has outlawed the Communist Party of Ukraine."
"Our stance is obvious and we would do the same if Putin, Biden, etc. came," concluded a KKE spokesperson.
The right-wing "Hellenic Solution" also expressed objections to Zelensky's speech in Parliament.
"The prime minister, without informing the political leaders as usual, called on the president of Ukraine to speak via teleconference in the Greek Parliament," the party said in a statement.
"The Parliament, which both the Prime Minister and his ministers, as well as some political leaders, rarely 'visit', is eagerly awaiting Mr. Zelensky's explanations for the strong defence agreement that he had signed with Turkey long before the war, which is directed against Greek interests and our national security, as well as his positions on the behaviour of the Ukrainian state towards the Greek national minority," pointed out the party.
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