With severe criticism towards him Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the government, the Nikos Androulakis placed in Parliamentexpressing his opposition to the amendment for the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.

Its president PASOK-Movement for Change blamed the government for Pharisaism, arrogance and seeking division. As he pointed out, “the government is choosing to open an unnecessary domestic front of division, polarization and toxicity. It turns everything into a political management vehicle”.

Mr. Androulakis pointed out that the question of whether “we are for or against the preservation of the monument” is obvious to all Greeks, as every monument is a symbol of the country’s struggles, history and culture. “They are integral parts of our national consciousness, so stop fishing in dangerously murky waters”he noted.

According to the president of PASOK-KINAL, the essential question is whether the country can withstand a new cycle of division. He called on the prime minister to unite the Greek people around common national visions with credibility, seriousness and responsibility.

Mr. Androulakis underlined that the country does not need another divisive prime minister, but a leader who will unite and focus on external issues. He accused Mr Mitsotakis of using a national symbol of unity to divide society.

At the same time, he said: “You get excellent in the background, but in the foreground you get zero. Society needs credibility, political ethics and seriousness. You are inferior to the circumstances and needs of the country. That is why the country needs political change”.

Responding to the prime minister about PASOK’s stance on the Tempe issue, Mr. Androulakis spoke of contradictions on the part of the government. He said that the prime minister called the state finding “gospel of national self-awareness”, but now blames PASOK for using it for the pyrosphere case.

He also commented on the statements of European Prosecutor Laura Kovesi on corruption, raising questions about the attitude of the government regarding the investigation of responsibilities in the case of the 717 contract and Mr. Karamanlis.

The president of PASOK-KINAL criticized the fact that the government did not find time to talk about the 13-hour working day, but, as he said, “you came today to propose the ‘big’ reform to have cleaning contractors clean up the Unknown Soldier”.

At the same time, he noted that the amendment refers to entrusting the cleaning of the monument to contractors, arguing that the only thing that will remain is this arrangement. He expressed confidence that competitive procedures and not direct procurement would be required.

Mr. Androulakis also referred to the internal party disagreements of the government, commenting on the statements of Adonis Georgiadis on the role of the Minister of Defense in the implementation of the amendment.

He argued that the existing legal framework adequately protects monuments of national importance, citing Article 191A of the Penal Code and Article 11 of the Constitution for the right of assembly.

The president of PASOK-KINAL emphasized that the government is trying to change the public agenda, avoiding the discussion of the real problems of society. He cited examples of PASOK amendments on important issues which, he said, were rejected by the government.

Finally, Mr. Androulakis referred to the 13-hour work regulation, denouncing the dispersion fake news by the government. He said the government is misleading workers and citizens about labor arrangements, citing the current legal framework and industry contracts.