Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis, speaking on SKAI radio, was the first to send a message of support. In an attempt to ease the pressure that had built up, Marinakis referred to Avramopoulos’s own statement, saying that ‘from what he says in his statement, it seems that he has the answers to the questions that will be asked of him’.
He stressed that the government is not a judge and that the case will be decided by the courts. However, he also said it was ‘to the honour of Mr Avramopoulos’ that he did not want parliamentary immunity to stand in the way of the investigation. Referring to the timing of the events, he noted that the case concerns the period when Avramopoulos was a commissioner, implying that it is an old case that should not affect the present.
Kerameus: ‘To his credit, he is asking for his immunity to be lifted’
Labour Minister Niki Kerameus followed the same line, speaking to Mega. Kerameus stressed that Avramopoulos had issued a statement in which he explained the history of the case in detail, referring to ‘an activity that was fully declared to the European Commission and taxed’.
‘To his credit, he said he would request that his immunity be lifted,’ the minister said, adding that Avramopoulos himself had stated that he wanted ‘a lot of light to be shed on the case’. The reference to lifting immunity was used as an argument to present the former commissioner’s goodwill, while also functioning as a tool of pressure on the judiciary: an attempt to reverse the image of the accused into that of a victim seeking vindication.
Georgiadis sees ‘an absurd case’ and attacks Belgian judges
The most aggressive defence of Avramopoulos came from Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis. Speaking to Realfm, Georgiadis described the case as ‘absurd’ and directly attacked the Belgian judicial authorities, questioning the credibility of the investigation.
‘Have you ever heard of a kickback declared in a tax return and taxed? I don’t know what’s going on in Belgium, but I always like logic,’ Georgiadis said, claiming that Avramopoulos had received written permission from the Commission for his participation in NGOs and that his remuneration was fully transparent.
The health minister also cited the case of Eva Kaili, saying that she was arrested in 2022 but was released from prison and has not yet been prosecuted. He added that in Belgium the original investigating judge has resigned and has been prosecuted, as has the first prosecutor, suggesting that the Belgian judicial system has problems and that the authorities are trying to ‘disentangle’ the Avramopoulos case.
‘We are talking about a case in which the alleged defendant received written permission, the remuneration was clear, it was deposited in his bank account and declared in his tax return, and this, three years later, is considered the product of criminal activity,’ Georgiadis said, concluding that ‘the case is absurd’ and that Belgian judges must decide whether to prosecute.
______________________________________________
Are you seeking news from Greece presented from a progressive, non-mainstream perspective? Subscribe monthly or annually to support TPP International in delivering independent reporting in English. Don’t let Greek progressive voices fade.
Make sure to reference “TPP International” and your order number as the reason for payment.