Sharp response to the government representative Pavlos Marinakis gave his partners Antonis Samarasstating that ND’s political opponent is SYRIZA, not the former prime minister. Mr. Marinakis had stated that “what the prime minister said regarding abstention is clear. He is the one who proposes and asks the deputies to vote in favor. Abstinence is an attitude. Mr. Samaras, as an experienced parliamentarian, knows this. He had done so in the cohabitation agreement in 2015had chosen abstinence”.

“We are asking for the approval of the bill for the marriage of same-sex couples, but it is better to abstain than to vote against it,” clarified the government representative regarding Mr. Mitsotakis’ report to ERT.

It is recalled that Mr. Samaras in his recent statements had criticized the Prime Minister for his “exhortation” to abstain, asking: “We tell the Greek people not to abstain, but for parliamentarians and ministers to abstain?”

“Antonis Samaras, as Prime Minister, never urged, nor indicated to his MPs, “abstention”. And as the president of the New Democracy, he absolutely respected the “question of conscience” raised by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during the election of Prokopis Pavlopoulos as the President of the Republic,” note the associates of the former prime minister in response to the government representative.

The detailed response of the partners of Antonis Samaras:

“Today, the day of the start of Mr. Skertsou’s mandatory “tutorials” for ND MPs on same-sex marriage and childbearing, the government representative chose to “attack” Mr. Antonis Samaras. because he was absent from the vote in… December 2015, during the government of Alexis Tsipras – SYRIZA and during the transitional presidency of the ND, for the gay cohabitation agreement!! We do not understand the “lesson” that Mr. Pavlos Marinakis wanted to give today to the former prime minister and former president of the ND. In essence: does the government believe that a cohabitation agreement and marriage are the same thing? Does he not know that the cohabitation agreement is about legal issues for same-sex couples, while marriage is about procreation, i.e. children, mother and father? On the procedure: Antonis Samaras as Prime Minister never urged, nor indicated to his MPs to “abstain”. And as president of New Democracy, he absolutely respected the “question of conscience” raised by Kyriakos Mitsotakis, during the election of Prokopis Pavlopoulos as President of the Republic. Therefore, let the government representative be more careful and realize that the political opponent of New Democracy is SYRIZA and not Antonis Samaras!”