The debate on the appointment of the two new presidents, who will staff the Data Protection Authority and the Ombudsman, has been postponed to the next sitting, after the unsuccessful attempt by the President of the Parliament, Nikitas Kaklamanis, to secure the constitutionally required increased majority.
During today’s meeting of the Conference of Presidents of the Parliament, Mr. Kaklamanis, out of a total of 42 biographies submitted, nominated Katerina Sygouna for the position of President of the Independent Personal Data Authority and Antonis Makridimitris to head the Citizen’s Advocate.
The President of the Parliament’s proposal for the nomination of the former judge, Ms Sygouna, was agreed by PASOK spokesman Panagiotis Doudonis,
The support of the opposition in the person of the head of the Independent Authority for Personal Data, provoked a strong reaction from the President of the Electoral Alliance for Freedom, Zoe Konstantopoulou, who accused him of collusion with the New Democracy to reply that she herself serves cunning plans.
“You are in collusion with the Southwest, are you making fun of us, Mr. Dudoni? Are you serious? Does your president know what that means? We denounce the attitude of Mr. Dudoni. This is a major scandal and a major scam. At a time when the major scandal with the wiretapping is unfolding,” she said.
“We proposed the procedure with an open invitation and participation with the candidates’ CVs. We do not want Greece to become a chaos…,” Doudonis commented, provoking a new strong reaction from Konstantopoulou.
At this point, the Speaker of the Parliament intervened, and the following dialogue ensued:
Nikitas Kaklamanis: “He heard you attacking him for so long and he didn’t make a sound…”
Zoe Konstantopoulou: “He knows why he didn’t shut up.”
Panagiotis Doudonis: “He wants the Authority to be headless, he serves cunning plans. I do not accept blame, I have an academic track record despite my young age…”
Zoe Konstantopoulou: “Do not clap your hands. Don’t be ashamed…”
It’s not shameful…
Panagiotis Doudonis: “You serve a plan…”
Zoe Konstantopoulou: “Didn’t you say on the phone yesterday that you would not consent?”
Nikitas Kaklamanis: “You are rude, don’t interrupt my colleague…”
Zoe Konstantopoulou: “Am I being rude? He is slapping the hand”,
Panagiotis Doudonis: “We are doing a meritocracy process that is needed to get out of the gutter”,
For his part, the President of the Parliament, noting that the required increased majority was not secured, postponed the vote on both Independent Authorities.
Shortly afterwards, speaking to parliamentary editors, Mr. Kaklamanis said:
“Six months ago, the president of PASOK, Nikos Androulakis, wrote a letter asking for the positions to be advertised, the Conference accepted it, and the Prime Minister agreed. A total of 42 CVs were submitted. No party has bothered me all this time to nominate any of the 42. In response to what Mr Androulakis said at Delphi, I have brought my own proposal today.”
PASOK’s stance was criticised in a statement by SYRIZA MP Dionysis Kalamatianos, stressing that his party’s “refusal to agree on the proposed heads of the two independent authorities has nothing to do with the persons, but with the government that “constantly manages to strike blows at the functioning of the independent authorities.”
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