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The President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz, made snide remarks about Defence Minister Panos Kamenos in an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.

Schulz said during his Friday meeting with Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras in Brussels that he had reiterated that the coalition with the Independent Greeks was a mistake, and that even "an elephant in a china shop might make a better diplomat than Mr. Kamenos."

Panos Kamenos

"I think the government coalition with right-wing populists is a mistake," says the EP President.

The reason for Schulz's words is the interview Panos Kamenos gave to Bild. In it, under the title, "The right populist Panos Kamenos: the Germans interfere in areas, which are none of their business," the Greek minister lashed out at the German finance minister.

"In Greece, we remember very well that Mr. Schaeuble had to resign as leader of his party back in 2000 because he was involved in a bribery case. But today he is even the minister of finance! And as far as corruption is concerned, it is like the tango: it takes two to dance it!" Kamenos was referring to the Siemens case and the fact that the former director of the holding in Greece, Michalis Christoforakos, was defended by the German government.

Kamenos responded to Schulz’s attacks in his Twitter account: "President Martin Schulz, it is your turn now, remember?" Kamenos cited a publication, according to which Schulz had rejected as unacceptable the question to the European Commission addressed by Nikos Houndis, then MEP, and now deputy foreign minister in charge of European affairs, concerning bribes paid by German companies. The issue was frozen.

Associates of the Independent Greeks president intimate that Schulz is connected with the German weapons systems company, Rheinmetall Defence Electronics (RDE).