Opposition PASOK-Movement for Change leader Nikos Androulakis, in an interview with the public broadcaster's ERTNEWS television programme late on Thursday, spoke about all current political issues while sternly criticising both the government and main opposition SYRIZA.
He referred to his party's targets in the upcoming European Parliament elections and proposed that a political leaders' debate precede them.
"I believe that the country should have a political system with a stable and strong centre-left and centre-right in order for political stability to prevail," Androulakis said.
He lashed out at SYRIZA's leadership, saying: "I was very polite to the new SYRIZA leader (Stefanos Kasselakis); he did not have the same behaviour so I responded accordingly. Kasselakis has taken another path," Androulakis underlined.
On the civil marriage of people of the same sex, he said that it was an issue of human rights and that he will not seek to impose party discipline at the party's parliamentary group meeting on Friday at noon.
Bill on same sex marriage unveiled for public consultation until January 31
The draft bill to allow same-sex marriages was unveiled on Thursday for a process of public consultation lasting until January 31.
The same-sex marriage bill "seeks the equal treatment of all citizens," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday during a cabinet meeting.
Speaking of the bill, which was presented in greater detail by State Minister Akis Skertsos, Mitsotakis said it focused "on protecting the children of homosexual parents that already exist; these children must have the same rights as all other children."
Bill on same-sex marriage 'adds rights to some, without removing rights from the many'
The same-sex marriage bill "seeks the equal treatment of all citizens," Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Wednesday during a cabinet meeting including among other issues court reforms and a Strategic Plan for Greeks Abroad.
Speaking of the bill, which was presented in greater detail by State Minister Akis Skertsos, Mitsotakis said it focused "on protecting children of homosexual parents that already exist; these children must have the same rights as all other children."
Mitsotakis noted that the recognition of same-sex marriages already exists in 36 countries and 5 continents, "without this showing that it harmed social cohesion and government harmony." He also expressed appreciation that the reform was discussed in low tones by society without extremisms. All viewpoints were heard, including voices that had never been heard before, like those of same-sex parents "who can finally sleep peacefully at night, without the fear that if anything happens to them their child will not end up with the other parent but end up at an institution."
He also underlined that the government's bill, to be tabled in parliament, "does not change the current state for surrogate motherhood, does not fundamentally expand it to same-sex couples, and it excludes the terms 'Parent no. 1' and 'Parent no. 2'. And that is because I want to stress that Greece will not become a laboratory of policies that are only applied in very few countries of the world."
The bill, he said, "adds rights to some without removing them from the many."
READ MORE: Hellenic Psychiatric Association: “Homosexuality is not a mental illness.”
