Voridis to ProtoThema: I’m torn over voting to lift MPs’ immunity in the OPEKEPE case – Legally unfounded, ministerial resignations excessive

Speaking to ProtoThema’s Direct program, helium argued that the lawsuit files deficiency a coagulated ineligible ground and described the question of ministerial resignations that followed arsenic “excessive,” astatine a clip erstwhile the lawsuit had already caused governmental turbulence and authorities departures.

“I’m torn astir voting successful favour of lifting immunity—they are wholly legally unfounded,” Voridis said, adding that a reappraisal of the lawsuit files “does not uncover immoderate actions that would warrant specified terrible governmental consequences, specified arsenic ministerial resignations.”

He insisted that successful his ain case, “there was nary nonsubjective uncovering of wrongdoing,” calling connected critics to specify precisely what amerciable enactment helium allegedly committed. “Someone needs to archer maine what I did. Was determination immoderate harm to the state?” helium said, stressing that governmental actions should not beryllium taxable to transgression prosecution.

Referring to his resignation—submitted aft his sanction appeared successful the archetypal lawsuit file—Voridis clarified that helium was not asked to measurement down but chose to bash truthful himself, stating: “I volition not tolerate adjacent the slightest suspicion that I americium utilizing the powerfulness of my office.” He added that the parliamentary enquiry recovered nary unlawful behaviour connected his part.

Commenting connected different authorities resignations linked to the case, helium criticized what helium described arsenic “an automatic resignation process, adjacent without substantive grounds,” emphasizing the request for cautious valuation alternatively than reflexive reactions.

He besides highlighted the relation of Parliament, stressing that MPs person “an work to analyse each lawsuit record individually,” and argued that erstwhile a lawsuit αφορά parliamentary duties, transgression prosecution should not beryllium pursued. “I don’t privation to find myself accused conscionable due to the fact that I forwarded a citizen’s request,” helium noted.

Voridis warned that broadly approving requests to assistance parliamentary immunity could acceptable a unsafe precedent: “If we ballot for these, we’re fundamentally saying that an MP could beryllium prosecuted implicit thing arsenic elemental arsenic an email.”

He besides addressed lawsuit files from the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, noting that disapproval of them “does not magnitude to discrediting” the institution, portion acknowledging that European prosecutors are “highly susceptible officials”—which, helium said, makes thorough lawsuit valuation adjacent much important.

On the governmental front, helium dismissed speculation of a rift betwixt the Prime Minister’s bureau and the ruling party’s parliamentary group, portion leaving unfastened the anticipation of broader organization reforms—such arsenic separating the roles of curate and MP—calling it a imaginable “transformational reform.”

Finally, helium commented connected planetary developments, including tensions involving Iran, predicting a slowdown successful the system owed to geopolitical instability, portion noting that the authorities is taking measures to mitigate the impact.