Controversial New Democracy spokesman Adonis Georgiadis showed his intent to wage the pre-election campaign on a ’values’ platform, as well as a political one, as he lashed out against Syriza member and Attica regional governor Rena Dourou for not showing up at New Year’s day church service which was attended by other politicians at a central Athens church.
In a tweet, the conservative politician said: ‘Ms Dourou does not like church,” adding that whether she likes church or not is her personal choice, but she should've attended because of the post she holds. Her absence, he said, was 'disgraceful'.
Dourou took a non-religious oath in parliament when she was sworn in as governor and has repeatedly declared her belief in the separation of church and state.
Her deputy, Giorgos Karameros, justified her absence tweeting she was at a civil protection meeting, and accused Georgiadis of poaching for votes.
“The church unites, you divide,” he told Georgiadis while Left.gr news site likened him to an ‘inquisitoner’.
The ND spokesman responded that Karameros and his party Syriza must learn to take criticism. “Get used to it (criticism). Happy New Year,” Georgiadis tweeted.
Georgiadis, a former Health Minister in the Samaras government, was a member of the far right Laos party before joining New Democracy in 2012.
He has cut a colourful figure by selling books about ancient Greece on TV and would regularly raise eyebrows with his high-pitched voice, his animated style and nationalistic fervour in advertising books that glorify the ‘greatness’ of Hellenism.
One of his bookshops in central Athens had repeatedly come under attack by ultra-left groups.