After a long meeting and tensions shortly before its launch, the process of the night was completed late at night. voting to Parliament about the suggestions for recommendation Pre -trial committee regarding the case of OPECEPE. Most of the opposition has chosen to abstain, complaining that the involvement of its Members New Democracy It was limited and was not sufficient for the quorum required by the Constitution. According to the end result. On the proposal of Mr. SYRIZA and New Left A total of 83 MPs voted:
In favor of referring Boride voted 3, 78 and “present” 1
In favor of referring Avgenaki voted 5, 76 and “present” 1
On the proposal of PASOK:
In favor of referring Boride voted 3, 78 and “present” 1
In favor of referring Avgenaki voted 5, 76 and “present” 1
The difference between the 83 MPs who voted in the process of and the 82 ballot ballots in the polls, is explained by the fact that the Messrs. Voridis and Avgenakis could vote on one on the pre -trial proposal for the other, but not in the ballot box.
Eventually, the majority of the government rushed to vote at least 75 Members, either by attendance or by letter, in order to ensure the quorum necessary for the smooth conduct of the process. According to reports, 68 “blue” MPs participated in a letter. Independent MPs also participated in the vote.
Just before the ballots are set up in plenary, the PASOK He applied for postponement of the secret ballot, citing institutional reasons and the absence of the declared parliamentary majority, as provided by Article 86 of the Constitution. However, the request was rejected by the Bureau – chaired by the Second Vice President of the House, George Georgantas – as reports were reported in the room.
This decision caused a strong reaction to her parties oppositionwith several MPs getting up from their benches. His parliamentary representative PASOKDimitris Mantzos, questioned the legality of the process, arguing that the letter vote does not guarantee the secrecy of the vote.
The request for postponement also drafted the Cruise Freedomwith a relative placement of Zoe Konstantopoulou in plenary, but also the News Leftby Alexis Haritsis.
Complaints about parliamentary coup: ND alone judged the fate of OPECEPE pre -trial criticism
SYRIZA, PASOK and New Left denounce an institutional diversion and circumvention of the Constitution – they left the vote, which was carried out by letter votes and empty seats.
In a frontal government -opposition conflict yesterday’s parliamentary process for the establishment of a pre -trial committee on the OPECEPE scandal, with opposition parties complaining parliamentary coup and Institutional diversion by Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The Bureau of the House normally proceeded with the vote, despite PASOK’s proposal – supported by all the opposition – for postponement of the processas in parliament only seven MPs of the New Democracy were attending. The government majority, although assured that it would vote with a physical presence, eventually chose massive retirement and participation through letter votingresulting in the decision to be made without physical presence and without any present from the opposition.
‘Licensed Sea, License Democracy’
PASOK President, Nikos Androulakisdescribed the process as “unprecedented approach” and announced new initiatives:
“Picture of shame the empty seats. We do not recognize the outcome of this process. I personally commit that PASOK will come back to lead the two ministers to justice. This approach offends morals, customs and democracy. “
Even tougher is the president of SYRIZA – MS, Socrateswho personally denounced the Prime Minister:
“Mitsotakis is doing everything he can to not be pre -trial. He is afraid of the MPs, narrowed the process, violated the Rules of Procedure. We do not legalize this ridicule, so we all left. “
Haritsis: “Parliamentary coup”
The President of the New Left, Alexis Haritsisspoke of a “Mitsotakis signature coup”, adding:
“We left a stated process and left him alone with ten Members. Our proposals are active and we demand that they be examined as a whole by the House, not through antiseptic approaches. “
Konstantopoulou: “Today the folders voted”
With particularly sharp phraseology, the head of the Freedom Cruise, Zoe Konstantopouloustressed that yesterday’s vote is invalidtalked about “Mitsotakis’ cowardice” and said:
“The king is naked. Decades ago the trees voted, today the folders vote. This process has given unlimited evidence to make the European Public Prosecutor’s Office to make the criminal organization to the fullest. “
The timing of the crisis
Tension began when the government spokesman Notis Mitarakis He stated from the House step that “the New Democracy is here and the vote will be done normally”. Nevertheless, a few minutes later, the ruling party MPs abandoned the roomsubmitting letter votes.
Despite opposition objections to postponement, the bureau proceeded organized withdrawal of all opposition partieswho denounced the alteration of parliamentary functioning and the ND’s refusal to account for complaints about scandal to OPECEPEwith the involvement of former ministers and government officials.
The political thermometer rises
Against the backdrop of the opposition’s insistence on raising the OPECEPE issue and the government’s embarrassment to explain about complaints about complaints about irregularities, direct assignments and virtual subsidiesthe political thermometer goes up in the face of autumn, with the opposition saying that “the battle for the truth has just begun”.