By Yannis Anifantis

With the roll-call vote on the motion of no confidence submitted by four parties against the government, the three-day parliamentary process in the plenary session of the Parliament is to be completed this evening. Earlier, the positions of the political leaders will have been preceded, where the arguments that will follow are expected with particular interest, given that during the two previous marathon meetings – ending after 3 in the morning – the atmosphere was explosive, with the MPs exchanging personal characterizations, creating conditions of extreme polarization.

Clashes throughout the first two days were fierce, with the ruling majority accusing the opposition parties of trying to exploit the Tempe accident and the minority insisting on arguments of a cover-up. Today, those ministers who have not had time to be installed (175 MPs had registered) are expected to take the podium, so that at noon the speeches of the political leaders will begin with the opposite direction of their parliamentary strength and the prime minister will take the podium last. However, during the vote – which usually takes the form of a vote of confidence in the government – no surprises are expected, with the government’s majority of 158 MPs remaining solid.

The appearance of Kostas Karamanlis in the Parliament

However, during the second day of debate, the lights went down in the placement of the former Minister of Transport, Kostas Karamanlis, who in his speech emphasized that he will not hide behind “any parliamentary immunity”, calling on the parties to submit a proposal for the establishment of a preliminary committee, as long as they have specific evidence and an indictment. “I never hid and I never hide, not even now from parliamentary immunity. I have no parliamentary immunity for Tempi. The issue of Tempes comes under article 86 of the Constitution. And there is a specific procedure, nothing would change if I wasn’t a member of parliament”, he pointed out.

Mr. Karamanlis attacked the opposition, speaking of a “parody of opposition, where each party contributes its worst self”, with him estimating that the opposition’s target is not himself but “Kyriakos Mitsotakis, his government and the New Democracy faction. “50 years after the founding of our faction that strengthened democracy, put the country in the EU and guaranteed stability, this faction will not hand over the country to the gatekeepers of interests,” he added.

The position of the former minister triggered a new round of political confrontation, with Nikos Androulakis attacking Mr. Karamanlis both personally, accusing him of arrogance and the seats of the majority: “You didn’t say anything of substance, you showed arrogance. All of you are responsible for the minister’s behavior and actions.” He, in fact, tried to respond to the government spikes that he is allied with publishing and financial interests. “A question arises, while you have not submitted a proposal for wiretapping and interrogation, and for other political issues, you woke up on Sunday at noon and decided to submit a proposal for the publication of a newspaper,” commented the Minister of State, Makis Voridis, impertinently.

Pre-arrangement for the filing of the motion of no confidence

A new field of political confrontation between the government and the opposition opened a few minutes before midnight on Wednesday, with the government representative, Pavlos Marinakis, complaining from the floor of the plenary session that the SYRIZA MP, Nikos Pappas admitted in a television interview that there was a pre-arrangement. between Harilaos Trikoupis and Koumoundourou for the filing of the motion of no confidence.

“Today Nikos Pappas made us even wiser. He said that there was a pre-agreement between SYRIZA and PASOK. So not only was this done with great reflexes, but it was apparently being prepared by PASOK and SYRIZA. So this was the reason why Androulakis came today, while this had happened many days before and as a distraction he tried to use publications and social meetings and to throw mud”, the government representative pointed out characteristically.

“What Mr. Pappas says is not mine or ours (PASOK’s) issue. And I also don’t know what Mr. Kasselakis’ purpose is when he talks about a farce on the process,” said Charilaou Trikoupi’s parliamentary representative, Dimitris Manzos. “Is Mr. Pappas lying?” Now you have to say. Is he a liar?” commented Makis Voridis.