The horrifying descriptions by the officer’s children about the incidents of violence and abuse within their family evoke shock, revulsion, and chills.

Simultaneously, details are emerging about the trajectory that this disturbed police officer followed, leading to his appointment to the Parliamentary Security Service in early 2019. As noted by ND parliamentary representative Thanos Plevris in a plenary session, the officer served as the driver for the Director of Athens Police, Konstantinos Markopoulos, before being assigned to Parliament. Reports indicate that he held this position for about two years.

It should be noted that in 2015, Markopoulos was appointed as Parliament’s Chief of Security by then-Speaker Zoe Konstantopoulou, a position he held for about eight months until he was replaced by Konstantinos Kyriazopoulos.

Sources indicate that by late 2018, Markopoulos, who was then the head of the Athens Police Directorate and no longer associated with Konstantopoulou, requested Kyriazopoulos to transfer his driver to Parliament. He emphasized that the officer was not only good at his job but also a father of many children. Kyriazopoulos made the official request for the officer’s transfer on January 16, 2019, and it was approved almost two months later, on March 8, 2019.

Plevris’ remarks were in response to harsh accusations by Konstantopoulou, who charged the government and Speaker of the House Kostas Tasoulas with covering up for the officer in question.

Plevris stated, “It was insinuated that the governmental majority is covering up criminal acts. This is unacceptable.” He further pointed out that the officer in question had served as the driver of the chief of security appointed by Konstantopoulou during her tenure as Speaker. “If, according to Ms. Konstantopoulou’s logic, the chiefs of security are to blame, then she should ask the chief she herself appointed about the officer’s record,” Plevris remarked.

Tasoulas vs. Konstantopoulou: “Your Behavior Is Dirty”

Earlier, Konstantopoulou had claimed, “You are providing cover for a police officer about whom Parliament’s leadership knew there were incidents and complaints against him. Mr. Tasoulas and Mr. Mitsotakis must give answers.”

Referring to the timeline and sequence of events regarding the officer, Speaker of the House Kostas Tasoulas criticized those who approved the officer’s placement in Parliament.

In conversations with parliamentary reporters, Tasoulas reiterated that the officer was assigned to Parliament in early 2019 during SYRIZA’s tenure. He expressed disbelief that the previous administration or the then-chief of security could have known about the officer’s heinous acts.

However, Tasoulas added that the officer’s personnel file should have raised concerns, and his assignment to Parliament should not have been approved.

Since taking office, Tasoulas stated, he has been personally reviewing the files of officers assigned to Parliament’s security detail. He clarified that regarding personnel already in place when he was elected Speaker, he assumed their records had been properly vetted by prior administrations.

“If it were up to me, I would never have brought him here,” Tasoulas said.

Regarding the recent sequence of events, Tasoulas detailed that the officer’s wife filed a complaint for assault and domestic violence on November 18, 2024, at 6:00 PM. At 7:50 PM that same day, the Kallithea Police Station alerted Parliament about the case, and the officer was arrested five minutes later.

The following day, the officer was removed from Parliament’s security service. On November 20, his wife lodged accusations of child rape against him.

Earlier, a heated exchange occurred between Tasoulas and Konstantopoulou during a meeting of Parliament’s Conference of Presidents.

At the start of the session, Tasoulas briefed members about the case, saying, “This is a matter that pains us. The request to assign the officer to Parliament was made by the then-chief of security, Kyriazopoulos, on January 16, 2019, and it was approved on March 8, 2019.” He added that the officer’s file at the time contained offenses and misconduct dating back to before 2003.

At this point, Konstantopoulou entered the room and accused the Speaker of a cover-up.

Heated Exchange Between Konstantopoulou and Tasoulas

Konstantopoulou: “You’ve been covering for him for years. His weapon was taken away in February 2023, yet you’ve kept covering for him.”

Tasoulas: “His weapon was confiscated due to anxiety-related behavior, not indecency. The psychiatrist’s report did not mention indecency. I didn’t cover for anyone.”

Konstantopoulou: “You had an obligation to review the files of all officers.”

Tasoulas: “We do review them. However, when I took office, I found officers in Parliament whose records I assumed had been checked by previous administrations.”

Konstantopoulou: “You’re covering for him in a dirty manner.”

Tasoulas: “Your behavior is what’s dirty.”

Konstantopoulou: “You should be ashamed.”

Tasoulas: “No, it’s you who should be ashamed.”