“The current period is extremely critical for the course of our country, as we are amid unprecedented international upheavals and tectonic changes in humanity while at the same time there is an attempt by some to create a sharp political conflict and division at home,” said the Minister of Development Takis Theodorikakos in Parliament intervening in the debate on the proposal of no-confidence filed by the opposition against the government.

The Minister stressed that “we have a human, moral and political obligation to fully clarify the national tragedy of Tempi. We owe it to our 57 unfortunate compatriots, to their parents, relatives, loved ones, to all those who every day climb their own Calvary of the pain of loss.” To add, “we owe it to our history, to our democratic and institutional responsibility. We owe it especially to the new generation, which must feel that we listen to and respect them and we are determined, as a practical demonstration of justice and respect, to do everything possible to correct years of mistakes and weaknesses and not to allow any similar tragedy to be repeated.

To this universal demand, our party and the government are responding without reservations and scruples. We have proceeded from the beginning with the truth deal, and we will not let go of this duty of truth under any circumstances. Truth is a prerequisite of trust, We are not covering up anything because there is nothing to cover up. And if things are otherwise, someone will have to prove it with evidence,e not slander.

Justice is not hate. Justice is not a witch hunt. Justice is not the adoption of every absurd slander. In the impeachment motion filed by four parties, they talk about a prime minister indifferent to human life.

How can the prime minister, who was the first in Europe to fight to save human lives during the pandemic by shutting down the Greek economy, be indifferent to the loss of human lives or serious problems? How can the prime minister be indifferent to the fact that through his persistence, he made “112′ a reality, saving lives in the thousands of fires that have been dealt with over the years”.
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Theodoricakos argued that the opposition’s no-confidence motion does not seek justice but to politically instrumentalize the Tempi tragedy. “You know that you filed the censure motion out of safety. The unity of our MPs is unbroken, and your motion has no chance.

So the impeachment motion is a communication party tactic of a communicative nature, a product of endless compromises, taken from the distant past, which is abusing for party and internal party reasons the universal demand for truth,” he said, while addressing PASOK he noted “you are cooperating with those who did not hesitate to the end to blow up the country in 2015 to attack the New Democracy with which you cooperated – and rightly so – to get the country out of bankruptcy and crisis. You have a serious political strategy and identity problem, and I believe that you will regret this choice, which is wrong, and this was shown by the way your party MPs treated it.”

“As important as it is to fully investigate the case, it is equally important for Greece to walk safely in a world that is changing dramatically, a world that is facing tectonic changes, great dangers and unprecedented challenges. Especially in our troubled region with the well-known problems with our neighbours that we have been managing for decades. Today more than ever, it is necessary for our society to be united and to put an end to the divisions that are being cultivated. Division only leads to tragedy. These are lessons of Greek history that none of us has the right to forget,” the minister said, going on to argue “Wherever one belongs, the reality is that this government has achieved fiscal stability, reduced unemployment from 18% to 9%, making the most important social policy, because that is to increase employment. It has ensured growth rates of at least 2%, cut taxes and contributions, protected the border and tackled illegal immigration, fought and is fighting hard to contain the cost of living.

In the last four months, we have achieved zero or even negative inflation in food and basic living costs, in any case the lowest in the Eurozone. Serious changes and reforms are being implemented in key areas of social and economic life. We must keep the country on a steady trajectory, with a robust, coherent national strategy in the ever-changing environment in which we live.”