The Inter-Party Elections Committee is meeting today, Thursday, at 10:30 a.m., under the chairmanship of the Acting Minister of the Interior, Kalliopis Spanou officially marking the start of the battle for the terms of its conduct televised debate of political leaders ahead of the May 21 elections.

On Thursday, the inter-party committee meets, which will discuss the conditions for holding the televised debate of the political leaders in view of the elections.

The meeting will take place at the central office of the Ministry of the Interior, on Stadiou Street. The Inter-Party Committee was established by an urgent decision of the Ministry of the Interior, with the aim of submitting proposals for the implementation of the provisions of the electoral legislation.

The parties will appoint a representative who will participate in the consultations on the distribution of television time based on the latest percentages of each formation, while the restrictions on the candidates’ appearances in the media will also be determined. Party presidents or party leaders and candidates for state parliament are exempt from the restrictions.

Telefighting is still the subject of open political controversy.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has made it clear that “the debate that should be held is with all the political leaders”.

SYRIZA-PS, according to a statement by the representative of the party, Popis Tsapanidou. submitted three requests to the Inter-Party Committee because, “Democracy means transparency, pluralism and equality in the representation of the parties in the Media”, as he typically stated:

First, to hold two telefights on a national scale. One with all the political leaders, but also a second between the outgoing prime minister and the leader of the Official Opposition. Secondly, to observe strictly equal coverage time of the parties’ positions in all the Media. Third, the polling companies should serve their work transparently by posting from now on the primary and unbiased data of their surveys.

Maximou replies that he does not see the reason for a duel between Mitsotakis and Tsipras since, as the Prime Minister himself said, the two of them count 100 hours of discussion in Parliament, therefore there is no one who can expect to know more, and he objects that a telephone battle should take place with all the parties represented in the Parliament – as the will of the government is for everyone to “sit at the same table”, so that the positions but also the “inconsistencies” of each side can be seen.

For its part, PASOK-Movement for Change has already declared positive for “the holding of a debate with all the political leaders of the parties, who are represented in the Greek parliament, in order for the citizens to compare programmatic positions and proposals”.