By Penelope Galliou

“Bell” rings today at 18.30 in Piraeus, in order to start the two-day “seminar” to the parliamentarians of the ND on the bill on the marriage of same-sex couples and the rights that derive from it. After a series of contacts, phone calls and remote “fermentations” throughout the weekend, between government supporters of the bill and those who have reservations, today the first group of MPs, whose name starts with “A” will cross the threshold of the blue headquarters to “K”.

The briefing has been undertaken by the Minister of State Akis Skertsos, who will also be the rapporteur of the bill in the Parliament, while the vice-presidents of the party Adonis Georgiadis and Kostis Hatzidakis, the Government Spokesman Pavlos Marinakis and the Secretary of the party Maria Syregela will also assist. The aim is to shed light on every aspect of the upcoming legislation and to hold a thorough discussion on all issues of concern, in order to overcome objections and reduce reactionary MPs to a minimum.

The mark of intentions was again given by the prime minister with his weekly post on Facebook, reiterating that he has no intention of dividing society and underlining the legal character of the legislative intervention, “to settle a question of human rights and equality. To legally recognize a reality that also exists in our country” he underlined, noting at the same time the need to deal with “injustices and inequalities based on the interests of children”.

In the Maximos Palace they have an absolute picture of the embarrassment Mrand the disturbance caused by the upcoming legislative regulation within the ND parliamentary group and especially among the provincial deputies where the relations with the voters are more interpersonal and the pressure of the Church seems to have a greater impact.

Under these circumstances, the two-day government “information mission”, which starts this afternoon, does not bode well at all, as there remains a significant number of blue-collar MPs, who do not seem to be satisfied with expressing their disagreement by abstaining, but appear willing to attend the Parliament’s vote and vote against the bill.

The number of this “category” of MPs, in the first, today’s “information group”, who have declared that they persist in their disagreement and for reasons of conscience, do not intend to change their position, is said to be in double digits.

Among them, the MPs who have publicly expressed their negative attitude, such as Kostas Karagounis, Andreas Katsaniotis, Anna Karamanlis, Kostas Giulekas and Thodoros Karaoglou, as well as the Deputy Minister of Defense Giannis Kefalogiannis, appear wary of the legislation, although the consequences of any negative vote are possible for the government members.

Unmoved in his disagreement with the impending legislation and his intention to vote against it, the Minister of State Makis Voridis also remains, defying any consequences. “Well, Venice won’t lose a needle! Someone else will take over. It’s a job too, different things happen in jobs,” he said in Sunday’s Vima about the possibility of his exit from the government, although his fate remains unknown – until now – of government officials who will not support the government initiative.

Discomfort with spikes, but about the process of information, expressed Nikitas Kaklamanis, disconnecting it from the essence of the bill, “I do not accept to be informed about such an important issue as the regulation for same-sex couples by a minister, who is capable, but I only met him a few years ago. The Parliamentary Group must be convened and meet for as many hours as it takes to discuss the issue,” he argued, although for each bill the KO and the party officials are informed at the headquarters of the ND by the respective rapporteur, as they note sources, responding to criticism.