The Prime Minister’s speech in Parliament, the need for moderation in public debate, as well as current affairs issues, was mentioned by the press spokesperson of the New Democracy party, Alexandra Sdoukou, in an interview with ERT News Radio.
Mrs. Sdoukou said that “watching how the public debate has been unfolding all this time, what citizens and all of us realize is that political life is trapped in an extreme discourse, with irrationality and mud that is often masquerading as criticism, especially on social media. Opposition parties use an excessively divisive discourse and thus politics ends up looking like an arena, without truth, without political culture, without moderation and without meaningful dialogue about the present and the future.”
He stressed that “all of us who participate in the public debate have to give a different measure, with dignity, moderation and moderation, and this is an example set by the Prime Minister himself.”
As he noted, “Kyriakos Mitsotakis never makes personal attacks, but he practices politics with arguments and with a style that does not have those anthropophagic characteristics that we often see. Through his career over the years, it has become clear what the ethos and style of Kyriakos Mitsotakis is.”
He also pointed out that the Prime Minister’s reference to Hannah Arendt’s quote that “the moral annihilation of the other is the first step towards fascism” is a clear reflection of the way in which some of the political debate is evolving, but also a clear message about the need for change.
Mrs. Sduku noted regarding the Lazaridis case that “he has already admitted that the way he defended himself was wrong and has apologised. Beyond that, the fact that at the time there was an official notice of his appointment as a temporary post – in the broader sense of a temporary post – means that the competent department evaluated the supporting documents submitted, possibly incorrectly, for which he took responsibility, even referring to the return of the unduly paid.”
As he said, “this case has been discussed for many days and I don’t underestimate the impression it creates, but personally I would rather we were discussing more substantive issues of concern to society than a degree from 19 or 20 years ago.”
He noted that “one part of the case closes with his own admission of a mistaken mode of defense, while the rest is about the administration at the time.
He stressed that “it is one thing to be a minister today and be judged for what he does and another to be judged for what he worked on almost twenty years ago in a different professional capacity, as a journalist or a special contributor. As a citizen, I would like to judge him by the work he produces in the ministry and rigorously so.”
Mrs. Sdoukou stressed that “New Democracy is an institutional party that respects institutions and procedures and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is a particularly important institution that Greece supports.”
He stressed that he “does not even want to imagine that such an institution is involved in games, either political or personal ambitions. That is why there can be no shadow as to its functioning and everyone should be extra careful in the way they act.”
He noted that “leaks about which briefs may be coming and when, to some extent weaken the institution itself and raise concerns. And it is understandable that confusion arises when there is daily talk that a new file is coming. The process must be completed, it must not be salami-sliced and all the evidence must be presented together, so that theories and a climate of wider doubt against the government and the political system are not fostered.
He pointed out that “the European Public Prosecutor’s Office should move quickly as to which cases are brought to trial and which are possibly put on the file”.
In conclusion, Ms. Sdoukou said that “the officials of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office must do their best to safeguard the authority of the institution, ensuring that the cases they receive are fully documented and leave no shadows for anyone, be it a politician or a citizen”.
