In a climate of absolute chaos, political madness, and tension, with allegations about mafias, criminals, pedophiles, rapists, and shadowy NGOs being hurled “blindly” against the guilty and the innocent alike, the work of the Parliamentary investigative committee examining the OPEKEPE case continues.

The authentic, central protagonist of the episodes of a process that resembles a satisfying show for lovers of trash TV is invariably Zoe Konstantopoulou. Everyone—except, of course, herself—is guilty until they prove—and above all convince her—that they are innocent. Those who dare to exercise even mild criticism of her behavior or dare to question her motives are met with her ruthless and torrential accusatory rhetoric, which sweeps along them, their spouses, their children, and every possible person who may have been in their circle.

The president of the Course of Freedom sees that the roles of the television prosecutor and the self-appointed executioner of her political opponents bring polling points, and it is certain that she will continue in the same pattern. At the same time, the presidium of the investigative committee, out of fear and timidity, is unable to impose order even when the situation goes beyond every limit.

The NGO

With the same torrential and flattening strategy, she reverses the climate every time “shadows” and “stains” threaten to soil her own immaculate suit. Characteristic was yesterday’s parliamentary day, during which it was alleged by New Democracy that she herself and the Course of Freedom party have founded—as the governing party claims—an NGO under the name “Justice for All.”

The appearance of the company was almost accidental. It was revealed through the content of a lawsuit against Zoe Konstantopoulou that was forwarded to Parliament with a request to lift her immunity, filed by a journalist, former associate, and candidate MEP of the Course of Freedom. She sued her for slander following a fierce incident the two had in the corridors of Parliament. Specifically, Ms. Konstantopoulou, when she saw her in front of her a few months ago and on the occasion of an earlier labor dispute, called her a “fraud.” The former employee, for her part, drafted a lawsuit describing the entire history of their relationship.

As she claims in the pleading, she worked at the Civil Non-Profit Company (AMKE) “Justice for All” and was paid through the issuance of electronic invoices. In total, she had received in 2024 approximately €40,000 for the provision of training services, while, as the complainant claims, she is owed accrued wages of approximately €16,000. The address of the AMKE is declared as “Vatatzi 6” in Exarchia, which is also the address of the offices of the Course of Freedom party. The relationship between the company, the party, and Zoe is moreover confirmed—as the “dark room” column also writes—by the open data of GEMI. In the company’s management, which was established on 17.12.2020, the “active” members listed are the political party Course of Freedom, Apostolos Balmpouzis as member–manager, and Zoe Konstantopoulou as partner–member.

During the discussion of the request to lift her immunity, Ms. Konstantopoulou initially claimed that the lawsuit was instigated by New Democracy, although she later admitted that the journalist was paid by the company. On the same matter, the parliamentary representative of New Democracy, Notis Mitarakis, as well as party sources, commented that “it is striking that Ms. Zoe Konstantopoulou, in the Plenary, did not find a word to say about the questions raised regarding the NGO in which she herself is a partner, as is her party. What are the financial data and the funders? Does it comply with party financing rules? Does she declare her share in her asset declaration and does the party declare it to the competent parliamentary committee? We await answers.”

The issue was transferred in an explosive manner to the work of the investigative committee, where the president of the Course of Freedom admitted the direct connection of the entity with her party.

“If New Democracy means the entity Justice for All, I tell you that it is the educational entity of the Course of Freedom. Its operation is public and transparent. I have no relationship with its management, only with its creation. What is happening is an attempt to smear honest people,” she stated characteristically, responding to the barbs earlier raised by Makarios Lazaridis.

The illegal video recording

Alongside the allegations by New Democracy regarding the relationship of the Course of Freedom with an NGO, Makarios Lazaridis and Zoe Konstantopoulou engaged in a fierce quarrel, with accusations of illegal video recording.

The dialogues are as follows:

• Lazaridis: The sexist Konstantopoulou unjustifiably started recording us on video and photographing us.
• Konstantopoulou: You were conversing during the break with Mylonakis. He is a witness…
• Lazaridis: In her rant she began asking me what I said about her father. Then she threatened Ms. Liakouli to retract what she complained about last week regarding a parliamentary employee who left in tears because of the tension caused by Ms. Konstantopoulou. She told her that if she did not retract it, she would do what was necessary. At the same time, Ms. Konstantopoulou said nothing about Mr. Mitarakis’s complaint regarding her involvement with an NGO.
• Konstantopoulou: I have asked for the floor.
• Lazaridis: Involvement of herself and her party in an NGO. There are specific questions.
• Konstantopoulou: Put them to me. What are the questions?
• Nikolakopoulos: I have said that the next time you intervene, I will interrupt. The session has already been interrupted twice due to your responsibility.
• Lazaridis: What are the financial data and funding of the NGO? Does it comply with party financing rules? Does Ms. Konstantopoulou declare her participation in the NGO in her asset declaration? Although questions were raised, Ms. Konstantopoulou did not answer.
• Konstantopoulou: You are a slanderer.
• Lazaridis: Tell us also whether her mother was receiving money as a child allowance while her daughters had come of age.
• Konstantopoulou: You are a slanderer, you are a slanderer.
• Lazaridis: Were the money returned?
• Konstantopoulou: You are a slanderer.
• Lazaridis: If she does not answer with evidence, it will mean that she has done absolutely nothing.
• Nikolakopoulos: Two witnesses remain.
• Konstantopoulou: I have asked for the floor.
• Nikolakopoulos: Shortly, let the testimony be completed.
• Konstantopoulou: Now I am asking for the floor because I was slandered.
• Nikolakopoulos: What will happen to you if you answer in a little while?
• Konstantopoulou: I will release to the public the video in which Lazaridis and Mylonakis are depicted coordinating. A witness is not allowed to come into contact with anyone. In the same video, Lazaridis is seen saying nothing when I asked him what he said about my father.
• Lazaridis: I said that the president of Panathinaikos was appointed.
• Konstantopoulou: Why are you interrupting me… This allegation (re the child allowances) had been made by three PASOK MPs and then they apologized to me. Triantafyllos, Kassís, and one more whose name I do not remember. Whoever dares to revive this slander will face a lawsuit. Ms. Liakouli said that I caused a parliamentary employee to cry. Let her say here now whether she claims this. If she claims it, let her inform me who the employee is so it can be investigated, because I have an excellent relationship with parliamentary employees. Lazaridis does not ask Mylonakis about his companies. If New Democracy means the entity Justice for All, I tell you that it is the educational entity of the Course of Freedom. Its operation is public and transparent. I have no relationship with its management, only with its founding. An attempt to smear honest people. Lazaridis should answer whether he had noticed when he was giggling next to Tsochatzopoulos while the bribes were passing.

Out of control

The proceedings of yesterday’s session closed with excesses and in a climate of toxic tension.

The president of the Course of Freedom once again set aside every restraint and, in order to pulverize those who stood opposite her, hurled accusations against them, their families, their spouses, and parents. The atmosphere of the Investigative Committee resembled… a decadent courtroom reality show, in which, with the tolerance of the presidium, every blow was allowed.

The dialogues from the examination of Minister of State Akis Skertsos by the president of the Course of Freedom are characteristic:

• Z. KONSTANTOPOULOU: Your wife receives special treatment among judges due to pending matters she had.
• AK. SKERTSOS: Do you have a problem with my wife? Are you a defender of women? You are becoming an abuser of women and this must stop. You consider her an appendage of her husband. You are an abuser of women. What you are doing is called an attack and character assassination.
• M. LAZARIDIS: She has defended a rapist of four women, has attacked Syreggela. You ask the minister about his wife? You haven’t asked a single question about OPEKEPE.
• Z. KONSTANTOPOULOU: You are a slanderer!
• M. LAZARIDIS: And you are a sexist.
• AK. SKERTSOS: You are unreliable. You play the prosecutor. You besmirch reputations, you target women. Will you apologize?
• Z. KONSTANTOPOULOU: To whom?
• AK. SKERTSOS: To me, to my wife.
• M. LAZARIDIS: She hates women.
• Z. KONSTANTOPOULOU: Of course not!
• AK. SKERTSOS: You will receive a new lawsuit and civil action, just as the newspaper Avgi did and was forced to retract. You recycle lies that have been refuted. Do you defend or persecute women?
• Z. KONSTANTOPOULOU: You are arm-in-arm with rapists and child rapists.
• M. LAZARIDIS: Whoa! Whoa! Take that back.
• AK. SKERTSOS: You said that my wife has a pending issue and preferential treatment. None of this is true.
• Z. KONSTANTOPOULOU: New Democracy vice-president Georgiadis has been convicted in a pedophilia case.
• L. KTISTAKIS: You have mixed up your legs, Ms. Konstantopoulou. Her disgrace has no limits. It’s someone else.
• AN. NIKOLAKOPOULOS: You are unacceptable and you wag your finger at us.
• Z. KONSTANTOPOULOU: Do you know the Georgiadis case involving the rape of children from Moldova or not?

The session continued in exactly the same manner until the end, with New Democracy rapporteur Makarios Lazaridis pointing out that ND MPs are considering filing a lawsuit and a civil action against Ms. Konstantopoulou, and her responding that for every lawsuit she receives, she will file three lawsuits against the prime minister.

Mr. Lazaridis even read a message he received on Messenger, which said: “What a disgusting reptile you are for going after Konstantopoulou. Go to sleep at night and may they find you cold in the morning and sh*t on your grave.” The president of the Course of Freedom began shouting, asking Mr. Lazaridis whether he was attributing it to her, with the ND rapporteur saying that he attributes it to no one, but will do what is necessary.