The position of SYRIZA-PS that KO will “support” the bill even if it is “imperfect” was repeated by the president of KO, Sokratis Famellos, during his intervention today in the Parliament on the bill on equality in civil marriage, after the Prime Minister’s speech .

Mr. Famellos emphasized that the SYRIZA-PS KO is “ready for a long time to take this step”, while he wondered if the ND MPs are also ready, citing the ND’s “inadequacy” to vote for it on her own.

In particular, the president of KO commented that the bill is “imperfect”, however he emphasized that it “moves society forward” and called on the prime minister to “recognize that others opened the roads”, pointing out that “without the coexistence pact and the struggles of SYRIZA for visibility, this bill would not come.”

Mr. Famellos asked the prime minister a series of questions. “First, does the ND have the sufficiency to pass this bill on its own? Second, do you stand by your call to MPs to abstain?“, he said, calling on Mr. Mitsotakis to reform saying that MPs must respect the oath to the Constitution and represent the citizens respecting the citizens’ vote. “You are asking MPs to cover your own weakness by abstaining from voting,” he commented. He also asked “how is government cohesion proven when there are ministers who will not vote for the bill?” “There is nothing wrong with Voridis’ statement that the bill is unconstitutional? Will you not judge his placement representing you here? How can a minister declare that a bill is unconstitutional but not come to the Parliament in the debate on the objection of unconstitutionality?”, he continued. He commented on how Mr. Voridis will come again to represent the prime minister and the government in the Parliament, “how much seriousness and credibility we deal with him, he will not be able to talk to us again, he will not be serious and reliable”.

In addition, Mr. Famellos said that Mr. Skertsos and Ms. Syregela said that this bill covers the direction of the Constitution for constitutional equality and raised the question to the prime minister if the parliamentarians and ministers of the ND who will not vote for it, violate the principle of constitutional equality and the principles set by European legislation and European jurisprudence. “Do those MPs and ministers who do not vote for it question the position and role of Greece as a member of the European family? Do you agree or not, Prime Minister?” “The question is how ND ministers and MPs do not want the protection of children and want there to be invisible children and invisible parents,” he added. He also said that “there is a question in society: how do you tolerate far-right and obscurantist voices being broadcast by ND MPs against this bill and in the public sphere and in parliament and something like that to hear coming from the mouth of the former prime minister. How is it that Mr. Samaras comes to disagree in such a short period of time for the third time as with the visit of Erdogan or the amendment for immigrants. How is it possible that MPs remain members of the ND’s Communist Party when you say that you are for multi-level modernization and these MPs will vote against the European acquis”. He commented that “a weak prime minister is not good for the country”.

Mr. Famousos said that E. Akrita and Ath. Linou have tabled “two very serious” amendments, again asking the government to answer whether it will support them. He pointed out that answers must be given to these two issues that are not being solved by the government: the presumption of paternity for children born out of wedlock and who do not have two parents, and the “serious problems of commercialization of surrogacy with amendments to the institutional framework made by the SW”.

He also said that with his introduction the prime minister did not give answers about “the European Parliament’s catapult resolution” on democracy and the rule of law in Greece. “You went so far as to compare it with the Economist article.” That is, the next time you go to the European Parliament to speak representing our country, tell them that I do not count on you, MEPs, because I prefer to give value to the “Economist” publication and write your opinion on my old shoes, because that’s what you said before, Prime Minister,” he said. He emphasized that the MEPs of the SYRIZA PS intervened so that the penalties in Greece were not immediate. “We were protected by the SYRIZA MEPs, but you don’t want to accept it. But the fact that the country is at risk of penalties is not the fault of the MEPs who revealed it. In other words, will they lie to cover your own omissions and criminal choices, at the expense of the truth and Democracy?”, he stressed.

He repeated that “anyone who makes Greece a black sheep in Europe, who violates the rule of law in Greece, who does not help to solve crimes like those of Pylos and Tempe” is an anti-Greek, while also referring to the case of surveillance. “To talk about the freedom of the press, about the murder of Karaivaz, about the threats against journalists, about everything that the resolution of the European Parliament has. But for the bottom line, not because the Greek MEPs told the truth and because the truth was finally heard in the European Parliament – but you don’t want it to be heard in the Greek Parliament.” He also asked the prime minister when the government will give answers “to the real judge of all of us, which is the Greek people”.

Finally, Mr. Famellos noted that “History will write that the ND did not have the sufficiency to advance a reform” and the vote of SYRIZA and other parties was needed.