Debate on censure motion against government to conclude today
The debate will resume at 09:00 in the morning and a roll-call vote will start around 20:00-21:00.
The 3-day debate on the censure motion in the parliament plenary will conclude with the speeches of the political party leaders and come to a close with the speech of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
PASOK-KINAL leader Nikos Androulakis tabled a four-party censure motion against the government on Tuesday afternoon. Speaking in parliament, he said: "We assumed this initiative to put a final end to anything offending against the rule of law and, consequently, the proud Greek people."
The motion was tabled together with the main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, Nea Aristera and Plefsi Eleftherias parties.
Moreover, the result of the vote is a foregone conclusion given the majority enjoyed in Parliament by ruling New Democracy.
It will be preceded by the speeches of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the leaders of the opposition parties, which are expected to be particularly acrimonious given the first two days of the debate, marking the beginning of a long period of polarization until the European elections. Although the motion of no confidence concerned more than one issue, the speeches of most ministers, MPs and parliamentary representatives, as well as the interventions of some of the political leaders, focused on the fatal train crash in Tempe, central Greece in February 2023.
Little time was devoted to the other issues, especially the “rule of law” aspect raised by the opposition. The co-signatories of the motion accuse the government of attempting to cover up responsibilities for the train crash, while the government has insisted that the judiciary will have the final say. What was clear in Wednesday’s debate was the government’s intention to rectify any mistakes made, as the statements by the ministers of foreign affairs and labor, George Gerapetritis and Domna Michailidou, suggested.
“This government has the courage to check things, to do the necessary self-control, to look at the issues that arise with vigor, with courage and boldness, and, when necessary, with self-criticism,” Gerapetritis said.
