This week begins with high parliamentary tension, and the ruling majority has already charted a course in favor of forming an Investigative Committee on the OPEKEPE case. In fact, as Proto Thema reported on Sunday, Mr. Mitsotakis is expected to intervene in Tuesday’s parliamentary debate on the matter and on the proposal submitted by ND.

Meanwhile, the scenario gaining momentum in recent hours is that ND might abstain from the vote on establishing a Preliminary Investigation Committee—proposed by PASOK, SYRIZA, and New Left. The two proposals (ND’s for an Investigative Committee, and the opposition’s for a Preliminary Committee) will be debated and voted on Wednesday, with two separate ballot boxes to be set up—one for Makis Voridis and one for Lefteris Avgenakis.

According to protothema.gr, Mr. Mitsotakis has received a recommendation that ND should abstain from the vote, just as opposition parties did during the referral of Kostas Karamanlis to the judicial council, which left ND alone with Plefsi Eleftherias. The reasoning of those advocating this move is that ND has already positioned itself in favor of an Investigative Committee and sees no purpose in staying and legitimizing a process on which it has already expressed its stance. However, a final decision has not been made yet, according to discussions held at Monday’s “morning coffee” meeting, and reactions will be “measured,” since the issue is being actively discussed in informal circles.

On Monday morning, SYRIZA spokesperson Kostas Zachariadis rushed to comment on the reports, accusing ND of “dodging the fight” and suggesting that the Prime Minister lacks confidence in his own parliamentary majority.