While the voting in Parliament for Karamanlis’s referral to the Parliamentary Committee is still pending, interesting activity is observed within the New Democracy parliamentary group, with some MPs apparently questioning the legal basis of the indictment.

During yesterday’s negotiations, in order to gather the 30 ND MPs to sign the referral proposal for Karamanlis, it was noted that some MPs were reluctant, and others signed with… half-hearted commitment, questioning why the entire Parliamentary Group was not mobilized. This has been an ongoing discussion within ND’s parliamentary group for days, and in fact, the first 30 MPs who responded positively to the calls were those who signed.

It is noteworthy that the former Minister of Infrastructure and Transport has been in direct contact with the Maximos Mansion (Prime Minister’s Office) and knew before the proposal was submitted what ND would propose. He did not issue a written statement yesterday but is expected to speak in the plenary of Parliament, where he will address the allegations against him and the accusations made by both the government and the opposition.

Of course, the Maximos Mansion knows that the devil is in the details. The process of Karamanlis’s referral will be a delicate balancing act within ND’s parliamentary group, especially since the vote for referral to the Judicial Council is secret.

It is indicative that even in the vote regarding Trantopoulos’s referral, leaks were estimated from ND’s camp, but opposition parties ultimately supported the government’s proposal. Therefore, many are wondering whether, in the case of Karamanlis, there will be “blue” MPs who, for various reasons, might consider not referring the former minister to the Judicial Council.

This scenario does not seem the most likely, but it is not exactly… science fiction either in the corridors of Parliament. It’s a given that some ND MPs, each for different reasons, might be tempted to create an internal party issue for the ruling party.

Moreover, in the event of leaks or non-referral of Karamanlis, ND could once again be caught in the narrative of “cover-up,” which it is trying to avoid with the strategy of the “Trantopoulos model,” i.e., referral via fast-track procedures to the Judicial Council. It is considered certain that in the coming period, the Maximos Mansion will launch a “search” to shield the process and ensure the favorable vote for the “blue” proposal.