The Ethics Committee of the New Democracy (ND) party unanimously confirmed the expulsion of Marios Salmas, MP for Aetolia-Acarnania, who had been referred to the committee by Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The now-independent MP remained at the session for about a minute. Upon leaving, he spoke to journalists at the Parliament, stating: “If Mr. Mitsotakis is expelling me because I spoke about the loss of properties due to bad loans, if he’s expelling me because I opposed the Woke agenda for same-sex couples, if he’s expelling me because, in his presence, I disagreed with how decisions are made by the government without consulting MPs, if he’s expelling me because I asked him to tackle the cartels driving up prices, if he’s expelling me because I pointed out the need to focus on the many, then it’s an honor. If he’s expelling me to send a message to others, it’s unacceptable. However, if my expulsion is based on the fact that I, both in the Parliament and formally, exposed a rigged tourism ministry tender that was scandalously awarded to one company without competition at the minimum price, I want to remind everyone that the scrutiny of ministers by MPs and their unlimited freedom of speech and judgment are constitutionally guaranteed rights and in no way justify expulsion.”

Salmas responded to whether he would surrender his parliamentary seat, saying, “Do you think I should stop fighting for the many?”

During a press briefing, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis commented on the unanimous decision to expel Salmas by the Ethics Committee.

The committee members presented Marios Salmas with two articles of the party’s charter, asking him to explain his “uncollegial behavior.” The committee included chairman Giannis Tragakis, parliamentary secretary Stavros Kalafatis, deputy speaker of the Parliament Athanasios Bouras, and MPs Athanasios Davakis and Theodoros Karaoglou.

Stavros Kalafatis, ND parliamentary secretary, stated, “Mr. Salmas, through his behavior, placed himself outside the Parliamentary Group.”