The Greek Parliament lifted the parliamentary immunity of former SYRIZA Deputy Health Minister, Pavlos Polakis for two cases he is to be prosecuted. The voting took place following a prosecutor’s request as well as one by the Justice Ministry.
The first case refers to the alleged illegal recording of a phone conversation with the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Yiannis Stournaras. The second refers to insulting and defamation of the former prasident of employees at the Greek Center for Disease Prevention (KEELPNO), Stamatis Poulis, a candidate with New Democracy at the July elections.
Out of 176 present MPs, 163 voted in favor for the first case and 162 for the second.
Major opposition party SYRIZA left the Parliament after Polakis’ speech and before the voting.
SYRIZA criticized the procedure as it had asked that it takes place in accordance with the article about “ministers’ responsibility” and spoke of “anti-constitutional management of the issue.” After the July elections, Polakis is a simple member of the Parliament.
In his speech Polakis spoke of a “foolish political act of retaliation against him in the sense of both moral defamation and financial burden and mental distress because he himself had troubled the system multiple times during his ministerial term.”
SYRIZa sources told media that New Democracy “attempts to set up a communications show tagretting Pavlos Polakis an SYRIZA who revealed scandals in the health sector.”
