Next to the Greek Prime Minister at the time of the attack with a Russian missile in Odessa, Minister of State Stavros Papastavrou, narrates, in newspaper “Daily“, how the Greek delegation experienced the incident, while also talking about many other current issues.

But starting from the Novartis case and the self-criticism of the former prime minister, Alexis Tsipras, the Minister of State responds: “Mr. Tsipras’s self-criticism was incomplete. On April 20, 2016, as Prime Minister, in response to a question from the then leader of the official opposition in the Plenary Session of the Parliament, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, he stated that if I was justified, as was the case, he would apologize. Mr. Tsipras continues to deny me elementary moral justification, as a minimum compensation for the mud and the drag that he suffered for six years. Six nightmare years, not only for me, but for my children, my wife, my parents, my friends. I wish that no one ever experiences the injustice, the slander and, above all, the hatred that I experienced from my political opponents.”

When asked about the former prime minister, Antonis Samaras, he notes that “an “invisible thread” connects the government of the country of Antonis Samaras in 2012-2014 with – from 2019 – the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. It was that government that then, in extremely difficult times, kept – with the sacrifices of the Greek people – Greece in the Eurozone. With self-sacrifice and patriotism. It was that government that laid the foundations on which the government of Kyriakos Mitsotakis plans and implements its reform program. A program that led Greece to recover the investment grade, to strengthen its deterrent capacity more than ever and to achieve macroeconomic indicators that a few years ago seemed impossible. THE So, Mr. Samaras, whom I always respect, is entitled to express his opinions and disagreements, as a former prime minister who, after all, also has special intervention privileges from the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament».

In relationship with government planning for ‘Persons with Disabilities’, the St. Papastavrou, as having the relevant governmental responsibility, states that “in the coming weeks, the National Strategy for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities 2024-2030, which is adopted for the first time in the history of our country, will be put up for public consultation, with specific goals and actions in every ministry, while also mobilizing the Local Self-Government. Every case that concerns all Greek women and men is national. Improving the quality of life of our more than one million fellow citizens with disabilities is a national issue. The National Strategy has inclusion at its core and sets the goal of “double convergence”, i.e. improving the quality of life of people with disabilities, both in terms of the general population of the country and in terms of people with disabilities in the European Union” .

On the subject of Freddy Belleris, after pointing out that “the Beleri case seriously exposes Albania and its institutions”, then argues: “Serious doubts are being raised about the reliability of the process and the objectivity of the judicial judgment. The presumption of his innocence was undermined by a series of statements that discounted his conviction. The Greek government has raised and will continue to raise the issue systematically in all European fora. He has also linked Albania’s European path with respect for the Rule of Law. Consider: the unelected mayor Heimarras has been in the place of the elected one, who is in prison, for 10 months. This is not a bilateral issue, but primarily a European one. Freddy Beleris must be sworn in as mayor of Heimarra, released immediately and given a fair trial in the second degree of jurisdiction. Greece will continue to monitor the issue closely“, he explains, closing the relevant answer.

In view of the European elections, and when asked about the rise of populism on our continent, the Minister of State underlines that “the New Democracy has always been a bulwark against dead-end and costless populism, for which our country has paid dearly. This is what is at stake in the European elections of 2024. If we will move towards a competitive, strong Europe that initiates cooperation in the defense industry, if we will strengthen the forces of unity and progress that move Europe and Greece forward, or those of populism , which endanger our future. A vote for ND is a European, patriotic vote. This is how we strengthen our country’s position in a united Europe.”

And, in closing with the Russian missile attack on Odessa, says: “It was a scary moment. The piercing siren, followed by the deafening bang and then the smoke from the explosion – not too far from our mission – caused a series of intense emotions that overwhelmed us all. In Ukraine, war does not discriminate. It is a constant battle for life, liberty and independence. Those of us who met in Odessa, the city with timeless Greek roots, we became witnesses in an instant of the brutal and uncontrolled violence that the Ukrainian people endure every day,” concluded, in his interview, the Minister of State.