The lifting of her immunity Elena Akrita the Ethics Committee of the Parliament decided unanimously, after the lawsuit filed against it by the prime minister’s wife, Mareva Grabovski.

Elena Akrita had posted on social media comments about her professional activities, leaving spikes for the Pothen Esches of the prime minister’s wife.

At today’s meeting Ethics CommitteeElena Akrita herself emphasized that she wishes to lift her immunity in order to fight in court.

“The waiver of immunity is, for me, a self-evident act of honesty, a sense of equality and respect for the judiciary,” states the SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance state parliamentarian, in her letter to the president of the Special Standing Committee on Parliamentary Ethics, regarding the prosecution requests to waive her immunity.

Here is the full text of the letter:

“To the Special Standing Committee

Parliamentary Ethics

Mister President,

Thank you for the invitation to appear before your Committee regarding the prosecutorial requests to waive my immunity.

With this letter I wish to inform that I am waiving my parliamentary immunity.

From the beginning, since the beginning of my participation in the great effort of SYRIZA for greater transparency and accountability in public life, I have made it clear that I am not going to hide behind any immunity and any privilege. Waiver of immunity is for me a self-evident act of uprightness, sense of equality and respect for Justice. Since the Court of Justice decides to check a representative of the Greek people for what he posted on the Internet, each and every one of us should facilitate this judicial work as well.

The above applies much more in my own case, which in my long journalistic and writing career I have not committed any criminal offence. By waiving my immunity and coming forward to fight these legal battles, I again claim the unfettered exercise of freedom of expression, like every citizen who has the duty to criticize the bad writings of public life and not remain silent.

In my opinion, the highest office in the Republic is that of the citizen. As a citizen, therefore, I am ready to be judged on equal terms by the courts, in which I also express my trust, not only at this juncture, but throughout time as well.

Yours sincerely,

Elena Akrita

Member of State”.