Galery

1

Having entertained the Popular Unity leader, Panagiotis Lafazanis, in her office, today the parliamentary speaker, Zoe Konstantopoulou, launched a fresh attack against the government and the president.

"Unfortunately, the award of exploratory mandates towards a new cabinet began after the government chose to resign surreptitiously, without informing parliament, and after the president failed to do so as well," said Konstantopoulou, attacking the country's president once again.

"What transpired yesterday  – that, unlike parliament, the oppressive creditors were promptly and fully advised about this process – was especially annoying," continued the parliament speaker, and went on to emphasise that: "In such a time of crisis it is especially important to protect the constitution from the memoranda, which are proven to have been waging war against the republic, the constitution and lawfulness."

Something else Konstantopoulou said was that when a government resigns, the parliament does not necessarily follow suit. She believes that a parliament does not open and close as commissioned by someone else.

She also said that right after the meeting she would inform the president about the new composition of the parliamentary groups. The parliamentary speaker stressed that during yesterday's talks with President Pavlopoulos she complained of the unconstitutional attempt to circumvent parliament and accelerate the exploratory mandate award process to form a new government.

Konstantopoulou will present the new parliamentary group to the rest of the MPs.

In turn, Panagiotis Lafazanis reiterated that the governments of the memorandum had turned the constitution and the parliament rules into a meaningless piece of paper and meted a memorandum occupation on the country.

"Greece is not a euro colony; it must, according to the will of the people, remain a functioning democracy, with the participation of the people," said Lafazanis and described as extremely important Zoe Konstantopoulou's contribution to keep in line with the constitution and the parliament's rules. Lafazanis said that his party was against snap elections as he believes this is antidemocratic. He would rather make sure there will be a long enough pre-election period for citizens to be well informed before going to the polls. Lafazanis argued that parliament should work until the last day.

Lafazanis also mentioned his meeting with the parliament speaker to inform her of the new party being instituted, as an attempt to create a common front against the memorandum. Asked whether he would accept the exploratory mandate to form a government, the leader of the third largest parliamentary group said: "Of course I will."

Asked before the meeting whether Zoe Konstantopoulou would be included in the new party's lists, he said that this wasn't a topic that needed to be  discussed immediately. According to sources, however, the parliament speaker will have a leading role to play in the Popular Unity party.

Meanwhile, in response to the parliamentary speaker's attacks, the presidency said: "Since yesterday, the Presidency of the Republic is no longer dealing with Mrs. Konstantopoulou." In turn, government representatives called Konstantopoulou's poison arrows "neglect for the government's negotiating efforts, i.e. views, which even the most extreme opposition did not dare to express."