Adonis Georgiadis: “No to the criminalisation of parliamentary activity” – A clear institutional stance

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Defense of the relation of MPs, enactment for separation of powers, and a beardown presumption connected European Public Prosecutor lawsuit files

Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis, speaking connected SKAI TV successful the “Ataireiasto” program, made extended comments connected the OPEKEPE case, the lawsuit files forwarded to the Greek Parliament by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, arsenic good arsenic connected the law model governing parliamentary immunity and the organization relation of elected representatives.

His involution outlined a wide organization position: the request to distinguish political enactment from transgression appraisal of regular parliamentary actions.

“Respect for Justice – but besides for the relation of the legislator”

Mr. Georgiadis stated that helium afloat respects the Association of Judges and Prosecutors, portion emphasizing that ideology is founded connected the rule of separation of powers.

“I ne'er intervene successful judicial functions. But conscionable arsenic I respect judges, I besides inquire them to respect the relation of the legislator,” helium said.

He stressed that, arsenic an MP, helium has the law close to explicit governmental views connected institutions:

the European Public Prosecutor’s Office was established by law
therefore, it tin besides beryllium amended oregon abolished by a caller instrumentality passed by Parliament

European Public Prosecutor & OPEKEPE lawsuit files

The curate argued that the lawsuit files submitted to Parliament person created an situation of excessive criminalisation.“They person criminalised the daily, mean functioning of parliamentary work,” helium noted.

He explained that connection betwixt MPs, citizens, and nationalist services is simply a halfway constituent of parliamentary duties.

He besides argued that galore of the examined cases:

involve elemental forwarding of citizens’ requests
contain nary grounds of amerciable instructions oregon information manipulation
do not, successful his view, represent transgression offences

“Clientelism oregon parliamentary function?”

Georgiadis referred to the long-standing narration betwixt citizens and MPs, stating that:

citizens routinely attack MPs for assistance with state-related issues
political involution successful administrative matters is simply a regular occurrence
such practices cannot automatically beryllium treated arsenic transgression behaviour

“The extremity is to trim this request done a much businesslike state, not to criminalise the interaction betwixt MPs and citizens,” helium said.

He cited integer reforms successful nationalist medication (EFKA, taxation authority, and different services) arsenic steps toward reducing bureaucratic dependence connected governmental intervention.

Parliamentary immunity: “An organization safeguard, not a governmental weapon”

Georgiadis described the contented of parliamentary immunity arsenic complex.

He stated that:

constitutionally, immunity protects parliamentary enactment (Articles 61–62)
representation of citizens is portion of the governmental function
therefore, successful specified cases, determination is nary justification for lifting immunity

At the aforesaid time, helium acknowledged the governmental dimension:

public cognition of politicians is affected by specified cases
there is expanding societal distrust toward governmental institutions

Criticism of “anti-parliamentarianism”

He concluded by referring to what helium described arsenic a broader societal trend:

“A beardown anti-parliamentarian sentiment has taken clasp successful Greece. The MP has shifted from a presumption of honour to an casual people of nationalist hostility,” helium said.

According to him, this trend: