“In the file that I examined, there was no new evidence, but also in the secret reports nothing reprehensible appears,” said the interior minister Makis Voridisanswering a topical question about the honorary naturalization of businessman Yassam Ayyabefe, after the reports about his involvement in illegal networks.

The SYRIZA MP Kostas Zachariadis he said that it seems that Yassam Ayyavefe, it must be a controversial case, has taken various citizenships, he has taken Turkish, Serbian, Dominican, but he became an “honorary” Greek citizen.

“It is strange that the way you chose to honorably make him Greek, no statement was made, to be honored, to be awarded because he has played a positive role for the country.

One day he became Greek, then the Turkish branch of Interpol issued warrants and it appears, from reports in the “Documento” newspaper, that this man has been arrested two or three times at the border, with different passports, with strange routes that may be linked to laundering black money or anything else in the entire Balkans,” said Mr. Zachariadis and added:

“When we honor someone as a Greek citizen, in any case we have to look for him in some way. What has he done? Did the EYP look for him? Has your department of the interior looking for passports looked for him? Were you informed by anyone about these illegal activities and cross information on IDs and passports, before you made them a Greek citizen? Because since you and the Ministry of the Interior learned that you are born and become Greek, we should now learn the process through which a person becomes an honorary Greek citizen, because honorary naturalization is neither a “golden visa” nor a “laundry visa “, i.e. washout visa”.

The Minister of the Interior stated that there is no question of a fugitive or a fugitive and that with his decision, the Supreme Court refuses to extradite Yassam Ayyavefe, judging that he is being prosecuted for political reasons by Turkey.

“You know all this now, Mr. Zachariadis, don’t you? Because we have discussed them here and they have been filed. You know them like a subject. So now you come back with what question? Because the newspaper “Documento” made an article, you tell me. Let me inform you that there is nothing new to say”, said the Minister of the Interior and added:

“What you say is not in the file. Let me tell you that the information from the competent services does not mention anything relevant. Therefore, let me tell you that even from reading the publication I do not see here a criminal act or a criminal prosecution. When for someone there is no conviction, there is no criminal prosecution, there is no pending criminal case, I don’t know what obstacle you are referring to now and what you don’t like. You come here to discuss the article. Since you ask me, then, whether these were known, I tell you of course that they were not known. I’m telling you they weren’t in the file. I’m telling you there was nothing relevant in the report.”

Commenting on the response of the Minister of the Interior, Mr. Zachariadis said: “You just told me that, if the publication of the newspaper “Documento” is correct, the services of the Ministry of the Interior did not inform you correctly, but that in any case the National Intelligence Service also it didn’t work properly, because this person seems to have done a whole tour in the Balkans and all over the country and you didn’t get a kick out of it.”

“Whoever comes and makes a donation, the Ministry of the Interior decides to make him a Greek citizen, without looking into his path, without looking into the fact that he had taken, if I’m not mistaken, also the citizenship of the pseudo-state? It is a matter of making a Greek citizen someone who had obtained the citizenship of the pseudo-state. In any case, they didn’t search,” insisted the SYRIZA MP and continued: “Didn’t you search for this Mr. Ayyavefe on Facebook? That is, the fact that he has made posts praising the day of the uprooting of Hellenism from Smyrna and the great massacre, do you have to be the CIA or any secret service to find that?”

“You come with a publication that does not mention any real legal conditions from those that exist in the law”, replied the Minister of the Interior Makis Voridis and added: “Everyone has their opinion, but what holds us all together is the law, because the law is that which governs us and which in a way we have agreed to exist. What does the law say about this?

Indeed, the law leaves wide discretion to the minister of the interior to decide on issues of honorary naturalization, establishing or clarifying two basic conditions. What; If there are exceptional, beneficial acts that have been done or, still, it can also refer to future, non-genuine acts – this is what the law says – which the Minister of the Interior considers may benefit the nation. The negative condition set for honorary naturalization? Not to have committed crimes.

How is the lack of commission of offenses established? Listen up. The law here even accepts a responsible declaration. With a responsible declaration of the honoree the requirement of legitimacy that exists can be met. You’re abandoning me on this one. I have referred to this. Letter of recommendation from a minister, letter of recommendation from a member of the hierarchy, two letters of recommendation. Established and verified investment of more than 15 million euros. Specified and verified donation, over 1.5 million euros, with letters of recommendation from senior Police officers and senior church officials. This is the given.”

Makis Voridis said that Mr. Agiavefe has a clean criminal record, he has a certificate proving that he is not a fugitive or a fugitive from justice and added: “And now you are referring to a publication, according to which he is involved in a criminal case. What does “involved in a criminal case” mean? Has a criminal charge been brought? Since no criminal charges are pending. There is something; What; That his name is mentioned in some case file? If yours is reported tomorrow, what will we do? Would we consider it a problem? Someone says something about you in a criminal case. And;”.

“If you’re asking me if there’s any new evidence in the file, I’m telling you that in the file that I reviewed, there was no new evidence, but also in the classified reports nothing reprehensible appears,” the interior minister insisted.