Latinopoulou Sparks Outrage: Suggests Sending Migrants to Makronissos and Uninhabited Islands

The president of the Voice of Reason party, Afrodite Latinopoulou, sparked strong reactions with her latest comments on immigration, insisting that Greece should not approach the issue “with valerian,” and proposing the use of closed, uninhabited islands for migrant accommodation.

Sharp Exchange on SKAI: Comparison With Zoe Konstantopoulou

During her appearance on SKAI’s “SIMERA” program, Latinopoulou reacted strongly when journalists drew a comparison between her and Zoe Konstantopoulou, in the context of ongoing farmers’ protests across the country.

Latinopoulou stated:

“I am in favor of law and order. I support the farmers and understand their anger, but we must avoid extremes—you won’t see me climbing onto a tractor.”

When presenters noted that her comments resembled Konstantopoulou’s stance of “hands off the farmers,” Latinopoulou crossed herself and replied:

“Let’s start the month on the right foot. Mrs. Konstantopoulou is opposed to what we stand for. She wants to eat from the same pie that the previous ones ate.”

“The Government Is Implementing Socialist, Not Liberal, Policies”

Latinopoulou also argued that the government has abandoned liberalism:

“Is this liberal policy? Distributing subsidies based on the number of sheep and goats? A fair system is a return bonus based on contributions and taxes paid.”

She further distinguished between legitimate protests and violent behavior, saying:

“We cannot equate Hamas demonstrators with farmers. I support peaceful protest, but I am against the destruction of public property and against violence toward law enforcement.”

Her Comments on Immigration Spark Backlash

On immigration, Latinopoulou made statements that caused significant controversy. She suggested relocating migrants to closed, uninhabited islands, referring specifically to Gyaros and Makronissos, both sites historically associated with exile and human rights abuses.

She asked:

“There are ready-made facilities in Gyaros and Makronissos. What’s wrong with Makronissos?”

Latinopoulou went further, adding that Europe should consider reintroducing the death penalty for cases of child abuse, stating:

“When conditions change, our approach must change. We should not treat serious problems with valerian.”

Read more From Exile to Ecological Oasis: Gyaros, Greece’s Island of Redemption”