By Penelope Galliou
The Parliament is ready to receive and host the Ukrainian President online tomorrow, Thursday Volodymyr Zelenskywho continues the “operation” to raise international public awareness and strengthen international support for his country, which is wintering from the Russian invasion.
At 12 noon, the President of Ukraine will address a teleconference to the Plenary Session of the Greek Parliament. His speech is expected to last about 10-15 minutes and as in all his positions, in many other parliaments around the world, he is expected with interest by the majority of the parties in the Greek Parliament.
The placement of Volodymyr Zelensky in the national delegation follows the communication he had with the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on the day of the National Anniversary of March 25, during which Mr. Mitsotakis called on the Ukrainian president to address the Greek Parliament.
In fact, in a post at the time, the Greek Prime Minister, regarding the subject of communication between the two men, said: “I reminded him how important a role in the history of the Greek Revolution was played by Odessa and the Black Sea region as a whole. I invited him to address the Parliament “and he noted:
“I consider it important that the message of a President who defends himself and his country against a barbaric and illegal invasion be heard in the National Parliament as well.”
The latest formalities for the online hosting of the Ukrainian President in the Greek Parliament were completed during the last Conference of the Speakers of the Parliament, however, highlighting the already – from the first moment – disagreements and objections from the smaller parties, especially the KKE and the Greek Solution. , while a Mesoamerican attitude finally maintains DAY 25.
“It is a symbolic way to show solidarity with the Ukrainian people who are being tested and with our expatriates,” Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tassoulas was quoted as saying, referring to the invitation to Volodymyr Zelensky.
The attitude of the opposition parties: Positive SYRIZA – KINAL
Apart from ND, SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance and the Movement for Change are also positive in the invitation of the Ukrainian president to be placed in the national delegation.
The Foreign Minister and SYRIZA MP, George Katrougalos, immediately intervened on social media, commenting that the invitation to President Zelenski to speak in Parliament is a “positive move of solidarity.”
“Greece must play a leading role in the diplomatic effort for an immediate end to the war, as a country of peace and soft power,” he added.
Also the secretary of the Parliamentary Group of the main opposition, Olga Gerovasilis, during the conference of the Speakers of the Parliament, agreed with the challenge, condemned the invasion and expressed her support to the Ukrainian people as a sign of solidarity. He called for “our country to remain an active member of international diplomacy in order to stop the attack on Ukraine and the blows to the Ukrainian people.”
A positive response to the call of Volodymyr Zelenski in the Greek Parliament was also recorded by Charilaou Trikoupi. The Movement for Change considered the intervention of the Ukrainian President in the Greek Parliament, in the context of the demonstration of practical solidarity with the tested country, to be almost self-evident.
Besides, he had bid for both the sending of humanitarian aid to Ukraine and military equipment from the Greek side.
Denial by KKE and Hellenic Solution – They will abstain from the meeting
The KKE, which will abstain from the special meeting, expressed its disagreement with Mr. Zelenski’s speech at the national delegation from the first moment of the announcement of the invitation.
In a letter from the party’s parliamentary group to the Speaker of the Parliament, he justified the decision, noting, among other things, that “the condemnation of the unacceptable invasion and imperialist war waged by Russia on Ukrainian territory, and at the same time solidarity with the people of Ukraine with any support to President W. Zelensky. And this particular meeting has exactly such characteristics, as Zelensky is also part of the problem “.
He even blames the Ukrainian president for a series of blackmails against the Ukrainian people and concludes the letter: “The KKE Parliamentary Group will not take part in the upcoming special session of Parliament, in which President Zelensky will speak. “This is the greatest sign of solidarity with the Ukrainian people, who, in order to be truly victorious, must get rid of both the Russian invasion and the Zelensky-type governments that drag them to the slaughterhouse of imperialist rivalries and wars.”
The Hellenic Solution, in order not to attend the placement of Volodymyr Zelensky in the national delegation, put forward various objections, such as that the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament are violated, because the proposal was not made by the Speaker of Parliament but by the Prime Minister. He also demanded that questions be asked of the Ukrainian President on a range of issues ranging from Greek-Turkish relations to Azerbaijan. Following this, in a statement, Kyriakos Velopoulos’s party states: “The Greek Solution expresses its opposition to the speech of Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky and will not participate in the specific speech of the President of Ukraine.”
Yes, but by Giannis Varoufakis
Giannis Varoufakis addressed the issue with “creative ambiguity”, expressing objections mainly to the process of the special sitting that will host the Ukrainian President and informing the Speaker of the Parliament with a letter sent to him that finally MERA 25 will be represented in the position of Mr. Zelensky, symbolically with a Member of Parliament.
The leader of MERA 25, however, speaks of a “discourse” by Zelenski and the transformation of the Parliament into a “space of monologue” and the deputies into “passive listeners”, while leaving tips against the Mitsotakis government for trying to further divide society, separating parties and MPs to applause and abstentions “.
The Ambassador of France, due to the French Presidency of the EU, the Ambassador of Ukraine and the Ambassador of the Republic of Cyprus as the Rector of the Diplomatic Corps are also expected to be present in the Plenary Hall.
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