Pavlos Polakis explains the reasons he abstained from voting on the bill for same-sex couples, in a written statement he made public after yesterday’s vote.

“I don’t accept progressive lessons from the Mitsotakis government,” says Mr. Polakis, adding that the objections and concerns he has regarding the controversial bill mainly concern the extension of rights, through European Law, to procreation and the right to have children through surrogacy.
“I believe that any legal issues that existed could be resolved by expanding the provisions of the cohabitation agreement,” he points out.
At the same time, he speaks of an attempt to hurt SYRIZA, which, however, as he says, will fall on deaf ears.
“United we will go to the conference, which will also be the springboard for the reconstruction and restart of the party on the way to the European elections” concludes his statement.

The entire written statement of Pavlos Polakis:

Office of the Member of Parliament of Chania
Pavlos Polakis
Athens, February 15, 2024
Written statement of EPEKE Coordinator and former Deputy Minister of Health P. Polakis
Regarding my abstention today from the Y/N vote on civil marriage equality I would like to emphasize that:
1. I do not accept lessons in progressiveness from the Mitsotakis government which just a week ago was condemned by a resolution from the European Parliament regarding the rule of law in Greece. K. Mitsotakis is trying to wash away the surveillance, the lack of pluralism in the media, the threats and lawsuits against journalists, the return of immigrants, etc., through the S/N on marriage equality, but without daring to clash with the extreme right wing of the SW.
2. I recognize that all people should have the same rights and I have fought in my life for this. Sexual orientation cannot separate our fellow human beings and that is why I also voted for the cohabitation agreement in 2015 in contrast to the 36 ND MPs who either voted against or abstained.
The objections and concerns I have regarding the controversial civil marriage equality bill mainly relate to the extension of rights, through European Law, to procreation and the right to have children through surrogacy. I believe that any legal issues that existed could be resolved by expanding the provisions of the cohabitation agreement.
3. Because I foresee a tendency to put those who did not vote Y/N in the same bag, I would like to separate my position from the extremely homophobic statements made by the “extreme right-wing religious people” inside and outside the Parliament. I neither had, nor have, nor will I ever have in the future a relationship with obscurantism and I don’t expect votes from this space.
I was, am and will be of the left-wing popular identity, democracy, labor rights, wealth redistribution and social upheaval.
4. I am of the opinion, after what was revealed about the assisted reproduction unit of Chania – which is being investigated for the exploitation of women who were used as surrogate mothers – that the legal framework should be greatly tightened for heterosexual couples as well, regarding the surrogate pregnancy.
5. Since the Mitsotakis system does nothing by chance, it does not surprise me that the well-known fund CVC recently made significant investments in the field of assisted reproduction.
6. In a bill where dozens of MPs differed, it is really funny that the noise is made again about my own position.
The attempted attempt to hurt SYRIZA will fall on deaf ears. United, we will go to the conference, which will also be the springboard for the reconstruction and restart of the party on the way to the European elections.