It was voted today by the Plenary by a majority the bill of the Ministry of Finance for its introduction Athens International Airport in the Athens Stock Exchange with the title “A) Ratification of the 7.12.2023 amendment of the 31.7.1995 Airport Development Agreement between the Greek State and the anonymous company with the name “Athens International Airport S.A.” – B) Ratification of the Private Agreement from 4.1.2024 between the Greek State and the anonymous company with the name “Aeroporia Aegean Anonymi Apoiriki Etairia””.

Opposite the objections of all its parties opposition – which they voted against on the grounds that it is an unprofitable option privatization on the substance of the Airport – the Deputy Minister of Finance, Thanos Petralias, emphasized that on the contrary it is a move of strategic importance and clarified that the change of the contract what it does is to harmonize the corporate governance framework with what should apply to listed companies in order to Athens International Airport can be listed on the Stock Exchange.

Mr. Petraliasstated that while the previous government had planned to sell the International Airport to a fund, the current government made the choice to list it on the Greek stock market, which is “an act of strategic importance“, in order to increase the capitalization of the Greek capital market.

As for the second part of the bill, which concerns performance 85 million euros from Aegean Airlines to the Greek public and the opposition’s accusations that the public gave 120 million euros to the company during the pandemic period and today it only collects 85 of them, Mr. Petralias replied that the 120 million that the state gave in July 2021, following the approval decision of DG-COM, of December 2020, it was not a loan, but related to a grant according to the standards of other countries (Italy, Portugal, Croatia, Austria) that gave subsidies to their air transport, which were closed by state mandate , without even taking anything back from her. He added that the government had the foresight, during the first aid, to put a condition on the warrants, so that in the event that a company comes back and develops, part of the aid will be taken back by the State, which was actually doubled, since with the raising the company’s share, from the 40 million he expected to get back, he finally receives 85 million euros.

Party locations for same-sex marriage

In the context of the discussion of the bill, the floor was taken by the parliamentary representatives of the parties, who also touched on the issue of same-sex marriage, after the prime minister’s interview with ERT yesterday.

SYRIZA’s parliamentary representative, Nikos Pappas, argued that there is an “unprecedented call to abstain” from the vote, as he said, as a major political issue. He estimated that this does not just concern the marriage of same-sex couples, but the self-evident obligation of each government to ensure the majority and claimed that this is how a precedent is set that the Parliament will find before it.

“We do not accept lessons from Mr. Mitsotakis and the faction that we all remember what he did in the cohabitation agreement, that had flagged the inscription of religion on identity cards, signed for referendums and when he became the government, he did nothing. Because this is how the ND always approaches the issue of individual rights and personal freedoms, with voter-hunting criteria”, said the parliamentary representative of PASOK, Michalis Katrinis, commenting on the prime minister’s interview. “Instead of fishing in murky waters, let him raise the issue of party discipline with his MPs so that the government’s legislative initiative is upvoted”, Mr. Katrinis also said and called on the ND not to ask PASOK to make it easier for it to vote on marriage same-sex couples.

“So we say “no” to the recognition of same-sex marriage. The sacred sacrament of marriage cannot be altered in any way. We say no to child adoption. You cannot deprive a child of the word “mother”. We will fight with all our strength for the family”, said the parliamentary representative of the Hellenic Solution, Konstantinos Chitas. He added that it is politically unethical for the Prime Minister to give his MPs a “day off” that day.

The president of Pleysis Eleftheria, Zoe Konstantopoulou, called the legislative initiative of the government “a mockery” that “plays with party audiences” and was in favor of same-sex marriage and procreation. “Protection of human rights means that whatever right the heterosexual couple has, the same-sex couple should also have” said Ms. Konstantopoulou and called on the government to submit the bill immediately so that the required consultation can take place. Mrs. Kostantopoulou also said that on the one hand in the ruling party there will be Mrs. Bakoyannis who will say “yes” we are doing it for the children, and on the other hand Mr. Pleuris, Voridis and Georgiadis who will say ” we will not vote for such things” and then Kyriakos Mitsotakis comes out to say that it is a decent attitude for some not to show up. “But then what defense of rights does he advocate and defend?” he wondered.

“Freedom does not go very well when we understand that freedom is not for everyone and the ND MPs can take a pass and not vote for the bill on civil same-sex marriage”, commented the parliamentary representative of the New Left, Euclid Tsakalotos .

On behalf of Niki, Spyridon Tsironis, spoke about the government’s study of bringing the bill for same-sex marriage, which – as he claimed – confirms what his party was saying that “the pink agenda comes as an imposition”.