The President of New Democracy, Kyriakos Mitsotakis released a statement accusing the government of employing unprecedented tactics against the judicial system that “undermined the democratic institutions”.
He dubbed the intervention of SYRIZA’s Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis in the course of the Novartis case as a direct threat to the separation of powers in the country.

Mr Mitsotakis alluded in his statement to the Novartis scandal and the fact that Polakis had insinuated that judicial officials handling two major corruption cases were deliberately stalling the investigation.

Apart from Mr Mitsotakis’s statement in Greek, he also posted a tweet in English to draw international attention to the matter as well as the 6-day furlough granted to convicted terrorist Koufondinas.

“Rule of law in Greece is under threat. Prosecutors involved in Novartis case are publicly threatened by top Minister. Convicted terrorist Koufodinas, on his 6th furlough, takes a walk in Athens. The next elections will be about the economy, but also the quality of our democracy”, he posted.

Rule of law in Greece is under threat. Prosecutors involved in Novartis case are publicly threatened by top Minister. Convicted terrorist Koufodinas, on his 6th furlough, takes a walk in Athens. The next elections will be about the economy, but also the quality of our democracy.

— Kyriakos Mitsotakis (@kmitsotakis) January 3, 2019

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The ND leader urged the heads of all the democratic forces of the country to jointly prevent the attempted institutional coup, which the judges themselves are pointing out”. Addressing the judges called on them “to raise the stature and to restore the prestige and Independence of Greek Justice.”

Mr Mitsotakis said that in a state where the rule of Law reigns, an active Minister cannot be tolerated to threaten the prosecutors and investigators who are not acting independently and according to his wishes, while the Prime Minister offers him cover. “Nor can it be tolerated by the Judicial System to dub an individual with criminal charges pending against them as a protected witness, despite the law expressly prohibiting it.