Shortly before noon, ND MP Zetta Makri and the journalist accused of blackmailing her arrived at the Volos courthouse.

Just before the summary trial proceedings began, Ms. Makri responded to the perpetrator’s claim that he would issue her an invoice for advertising purposes, stating: “If I needed a journalist to support my political presence, I would choose someone with a strong journalistic profile, not a morning show panel member.”

She added, “The situation over the past two months has been difficult, I expected he would have reconsidered.”

“I took legal action with difficulty, knowing that it was the only legal way to defend myself,” she clarified when asked about her decision to press charges against the journalist.

Speaking earlier to Status FM, Ms. Makri emphasized that she was slow to recognize the alleged blackmailer’s intentions because they had a longstanding relationship and regular communication.
“Suddenly, a series of extremely toxic publications began—very negative, not just slanderous, but politically destructive. We’re talking about approximately 27 articles with clickbait headlines,” said the former Deputy Minister of Education.

“He demanded €15,000, then dropped it to €10,000 and gave me a timeframe to pay it in installments,” said Ms. Makri, describing the publications as “politically poisonous.”

“I was subjected to this blackmail, that it would only stop with the payment of a contractual amount, with details I will reveal in court. And then, as you can understand, there was no other option. As I have said and will say in the indictment, the only legal way to protect ourselves in such cases is through justice,” Ms. Makri stated.

She also ruled out the possibility that the publications were ordered by a political rival.