SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance spokesperson Nasos Iliopoulos said in an interview with Kontra Channel on Thursday night that the Greece is presenting an image of "overall institutional decline" that goes beyond the country's own borders, for which the present government led by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is responsible.
Commenting on the European prosecutor's investigation into ruling New Democracy MEP Maria Spyraki, whose party membership was suspended on Friday, Iliopoulos stated: "Quite apart from the fact that it is very bad for our country to once again be heard about abroad in connection with such matters, it does not seem as though the European General Prosecutor would have requested the lifting of Ms. Spyrakis' immunity over something trivial".
Greek MEP Maria Spyraki has had her membership of the ruling New Democracy (ND) party suspended until European authorities conclude the investigation of a case in which she is a person of interest, following a decision by ND party leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis, according to an announcement on Friday.
As long as her suspension remains in force, Maria Spyraki cannot be a candidate for New Democracy in Thessaloniki in the next parliamentary elections.
The European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), an independent body affiliated with the European Union, on Thursday requested the lifting of immunity for Maria Spyraki, as well as Greek MEP Eva Kaili.
In a statement posted on its site, EPPO said, "Today, in accordance with the procedures laid down by Union law, the European Chief Prosecutor requested the lifting of immunity of Ms Eva Kaili, Member of the European Parliament, and Ms Maria Spyraki, Member of the European Parliament."
"Based on an investigative report received from the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF), there is a suspicion of fraud detrimental to the EU budget, in relation to the management of the parliamentary allowance, and in particular concerning the remuneration of Accredited Parliamentary Assistants. In accordance with the national applicable law, Ms Kaili and Ms Spyraki are entitled to the presumption of innocence," the statement added.
Responding to the news, MEP Spyraki said, "I welcome the lifting of immunity in order for it to become clear that I do not have any economic differences with the European Parliament, not even by a single euro."
"The issue relates to the overseas bonus of a former colleague of mine, who faced a serious personal problem and registered certain absences from the European Parliament's meeting hall. I bear no connection to Qatargate, and I do not have any connection to any other case," she added.
Meanwhile, the head of MeRA25, Yanis Varoufakis, described the 2023 State Budget, which is being discussed in Parliament, as a "cornerstone of the government's toxic lie", stressing that the "success story" has failed, because the economic data refutes it, but also because it has been rejected by the Greek society itself, which has been led by the government into economic suffocation.
Varoufakis called the investments for which the government is triumphant as "a scam", arguing that "the investments that are made are almost all in real estate, which, as they inflate, they destroy productive activities".
He also strongly criticized the government's energy policy, saying that "Mr. Mitsotakis once vetoed the EU, but not to support the citizens, but in favour of shipowners' right to continue transporting Russian oil, collecting the benefits that the veto secured for them."
The party leader also attacked the SYRIZA and PASOK governments, because together with the New Democracy party they signed the memoranda "thus stifling Greek society".
For his part, PASOK-Movement for Change leader Nikos Androulakis on Friday unveiled his party's strategy for the elections, while addressing his party's parliamentary group and party officials on the occasion of the debate on the state budget in parliament.
He strongly attacked Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the government, as well as SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance and its leader Alexis Tsipras, and underlined that he was determined not to accept any 'shadow' cast on the party's effort to become a new model for political behaviour, distinguishing it from both ruling New Democracy and main opposition SYRIZA.
Androulakis said he was interested in "defending the credibility of politics before the Greek people, who see politics as a source of problems rather than solutions."
"For years I have been convinced that there is only one way to revive the democratic party: a clash with the dependencies and interests, and I am determined to follow this path to the end, regardless of any hurdle that may appear in this effort, even if it lies within our political space."
On MEP Eva Kaili's case, he said that the political system is facing a new crisis of trust, as it is still producing phenomena of corruption that "some seek to blame on the democratic party."
On the state budget currently debated, Androulakis said it will not be implemented due to the upcoming elections, while also charging that it reflects fiscal populism and the government's campaign promises.
"PASOK has drawn a clear line from these conservative and ineffective choices. Our aim is to show how we can create a Greece that shows dignity and self-confidence, not one of low expectations for younger generations," Androulakis concluded.
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