Economou: The government will cancel the irregularity plans that various people are on strike

From the first moment that the legal connection to the mobile phone of Nikos Androulakis became known, the government committed itself to the clarification of the case with respect to the institutions and the procedures, emphasized the government representative, Yiannis Oikonomou, during today’s briefing of the political editors.

He went on to say that “the opposition has not stopped fighting for democracy, but yesterday at the Institutions and Transparency committee meeting her hypocrisy and disdain for institutions was highlighted”.

He added that the discussions in the Institutions and Transparency committee are confidential and those who take part are committed to maintaining confidentiality even after the discussion ends. “It cannot be confirmed or denied what is being circulated as being told to the committee,” he said.

However, the debate was being broadcast in specific media, as Mr. Economou said and added: “The opposition is creating a fraudulent narrative that cannot be answered, as this goes against the legal procedures.”

He added that they do not miss the opportunity to attack top institutions, to mislead public opinion.

“The government will do what is constitutionally permissible. Anyone who is interested in knowing what happened should shield the proceedings. Those who do not, do not respect the institutions. The government is planning to cancel the irregularity plans that several are striking,” he said.

“Partial reconstruction from Politics»

Referring to yesterday’s publication Politico the government spokesman said: “On the occasion of the debate that developed yesterday, due to a publication in Politico’s “Brussels Playbook” column, but also similar cases, I want to make some findings and clarifications.

In democratic and liberal states, such as Greece, freedom of the press is constitutionally guaranteed and is fully respected. In our Constitution the maximum possible scope is given to the freedom of the press, so that its functionaries can check the power and inform the public opinion.

It is clear that without the press, modern parliamentary democracy cannot function. And this, in addition to being a constitutional imperative, is also a fundamental and timeless principle for our party, the Greek liberal center-right.

The operation of the press is almost unconditional on the part of the State, in order not to leave any window for censorship, but at the same time it is done with conditions set by the code of journalistic ethics itself, which the journalists themselves must respect in order to protect the operation them, but also our Republic.

One of the main contributions of the press to politics is the promotion of public dialogue. News reporting sets the context and interpretive journalism, with the expression of opinion, promotes the quintessence of Democracy: discourse and counter-discourse. No one can dispute the pivotal role of public dialogue in liberal democracy.

Everyone is involved in this dialogue: politicians, journalists and citizens. Open, free, honest, but at the same time respecting the principles of dialogue. Public dialogue presupposes disagreement, variety, but also otherness. Always, however, with respect to a framework of principles. The more intense and rich the dialogue through arguments, through positions and contrasts, the richer and more flourishing a Democracy is. With position, contrast and composition we move towards new truths, we change, we evolve, we mature, we become much better.

In the public debate some, due to position, have privileges. These are primarily politicians and journalists. However, this reality should not be perceived as a privilege, but primarily as a responsibility. Politicians must respect the press and defend its freedom, even when the criticism leveled at them is too harsh, too severe. Strict, but not documented.

But the journalists are also obliged to accept the same: that their own positions will also be subject to severe criticism, when there are inaccuracies in the reporting of the facts. In addition, the politician, as an institutional person, has every right to confront the journalists in the assessments, in the commentary, in the interpretation of the facts.

No one’s opinion, in an open and liberal society, can remain inviolable and none of us has papal infallibility. In fact, the tougher and more intensive the dialogue between journalists and politicians, the stronger the Democracy becomes and the citizens now benefit. Orthodoxy and monolithicism do not suit a modern liberal democracy and are not compatible with our own tradition.

Anyone who studies ancient Greek literature can see how sharp the dialogue was between politicians and poets, who were the quasi-journalists of the time.

I mention all of this because yesterday Politico’s “Brussels Playbook” column published a report that contained both factual inaccuracies and judgments presented as undisputed facts. The Government, as it should and is entitled to, reacted both with a public announcement and with a letter sent to Politico, in which it detailed and substantiated its objections and positions.

Today, Politico, after I assume it has studied our positions, proceeds with a partial reconstruction of yesterday’s publication, which proves that our objections were valid. If they weren’t, they would have been rejected altogether.

Specifically:

1. Yesterday’s publication referred to the resignation of the EYP commander for illegal surveillance of N. Androulakis, (MPs and journalists)”. Today he retracts clarifying that the resignation of the former EYP commander and the general secretary of the prime minister are related to “legal surveillance” (of N. Androulakis) which Athens called incorrect. The monitoring of Mr. Androulakis, writes Politico, “was carried out legally by the EYP”.
2. After the selective leak of points of the August 2nd response of the Greek Permanent Representative to the Commission, through which yesterday the Playbook presented a completely distorted understanding of the letter and spirit of the letter, silencing its content which concerned the essence and not the impressions, today it is reported to the government’s release of the entire letter. He characteristically notes: “The government categorically denies any connection with the Predator software and says it remains at the Commission’s disposal for verification and verification of the evidence.” This, since yesterday, the same column of Politico, based on the selective leakage of points, proceeded to an arbitrary conclusion that does not follow from the letter that Athens almost washed its hands and blames everything on what various Media write.
3. Yesterday—and all the time before—Politico blurred the line between two different cases: malware and legitimate national security surveillance. Today it clearly states our position that the Government denies any involvement with Predator and all other malware.

This, we believe, is absolutely within the framework of Democracy and exudes health, which is useful for citizens, politicians and journalists. In the confrontation of opinions, when it takes place within the limits of the Constitution and journalistic ethics, there are no winners and losers. The only winner is the State. No one possesses, nor will possess, absolute truth, in any aspect of life, not even in science. With public debate we are simply trying to reduce ignorance and lies and get a little closer, step by step, to a more accurate view of things, to more and more truth.

Those who are exaggerating against the Government because it dared to question a publication, really what do they have to say today, which Politico itself hastened to reconstruct what it published yesterday. From where and how this constitutes obscurantism and threatens the freedom of the press. The freedom of the press is not threatened by dialogue and public confrontation, by polyphony. It is instead threatened, among others, by monolithicity and silence.

Finally in relation to my reference yesterday, in my statement, to Mrs. StamoulisI have to say that it was called an exaggeration and could have been avoided despite the fact that for some time now she has not separated in her texts her personal assessments, which she is obviously entitled to have from the facts several times prove to be inaccurate, as happened and recently

No one’s opinion, in an open and liberal society, can remain inviolable, and none of us has papal infallibility.”

Immigrant

Referring to immigration Mr. Economou he said that both on the Evros and on the sea borders the pressure is increasing from the migratory flows.

In August 25,000 irregular migrants tried to cross the Greek border and in this position they were left by organized Turkish interests.

The Turkish side is once again attempting to use these unhappy people as a tool to hurt Greece.

Greece is responding to its humanitarian duty, but we are not naive, he added. Strict but fair, our immigration policy, said the government spokesman.

Mr. Economou announced that in a short time the prime minister will welcome the president of the UAE at the Maximos Palace, a visit that is practical proof that Greece is a reliable interlocutor in the region.

• Wiretapping Investigation: Many things need to be investigated. At the end of the process we will have a more substantive discussion
• The connection to the Androulakis phone was legal. Let those who claim the opposite go to court.
• Yesterday’s committee was secret, it is illegal immoral and unethical to invoke things that cannot be confirmed. Possibly, ways will be sought for the operation of the EYP in the future.
• Mitsotakis tomorrow in the Parliament: The Prime Minister’s speech will be two-pronged, the determination of the legal connection of Nikos Androulakis’s mobile phone and what needs to be done from here on.
• We have positioned ourselves many times for election time.

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