Why Did Leaked Committee Talks Spark Political Row?
A New Democracy MP accuses the opposition of leaking confidential committee recordings and selectively presenting fragmented conversations to serve political interests.
The leak of recorded conversations from the confidential session of the Committee on Institutions and Transparency has triggered a confrontation, as New Democracy MP Giannis Oikonomou accuses the official opposition of a serious transgression.
In statements to Parapolitika 90.1 and the show “On Air” with journalist Niki Lymberaki, Oikonomou stressed that the leak of fragmented dialogues selectively served political expediencies, emphasizing that the conversations were presented unilaterally, “where convenient,” giving different interpretations where the image did not serve the opposition’s interests.
Assessing the ND Conference
Referring to the recent New Democracy conference, the MP gave an impression of intra-party maturity and self-criticism. “We saw a conference where all issues were heard. We conducted a review of our government tenure and our path from 2019 to today,” he said.
He noted that the conference set Greece of 2030 as a milestone and focused on improvements that would allow ND to reconnect with voter constituencies that have distanced themselves for various reasons.
“ND remains the matrix of the Center-Right, a large party that must accommodate the peculiarities of the era with views, concerns and proposals,” he stressed, adding that the composition of these voices with the common goal of new political autonomy will continue to be the party line.
“The Prime Minister Listens to Views”
Oikonomou emphasizes the way the prime minister and New Democracy function as a party that does not exclude or stigmatize criticism. “There is a distorted perception that whoever expresses a different view is a rebel, but this has never happened in ND,” he said.
The conference, according to him, confirmed that each MP and member contributes from the perspective of citizens and their personal experiences, so that the next goal is achieved: the party’s political autonomy in the next elections.
Answers on the Committee on Institutions and Tzavella
When asked about the absence of ND MP Dimitris Tzavella from the Committee on Institutions and Transparency, Giannis Oikonomou mentioned that Tzavella had sent a letter with arguments and justifications based on a previous decision by the Court of Cassation.
He observed that the opposition’s effort to call Tzavella to explain the judicial decision in Parliament does not align with the spirit of separation of powers. “We cannot constantly summon judges to Parliament to tell us why they ruled as they did,” he added.
Regarding the presence of Demir at the Committee, the ND MP characterized the fact of the leak of excerpts as a serious transgression by the opposition. He stressed that Demir gave the answers he considered appropriate and that the matter should proceed from here on.
OPEKEPE Case and Wiretaps: Justice Takes Center Stage
Regarding the pending matters concerning the OPEKEPE case as well as wiretaps, Oikonomou expressed the conviction that justice will shed light on both cases, as the relevant judicial proceedings are ongoing.
With information from PARAPOLITIKA
