It is unprecedented for a government to sue one of its former ministers in relation to the accusations of threats against his life, which are in turn linked to the actions of officers from the governing party. Beyond the criminal or judicial aspects of the problem, it is primarily a political one, as it concerns the actions of a group directly challenging democracy and the support or tolerance that this group receives from SYRIZA members.
Mr. Panousis submitted the evidence that he claims to have to the Supreme Court prosecutor after the government publicly urged him. Rather than let the judicial system investigate whether the accusation have any basis, the government filed a complaint, via two ministers, arguing that classified documents were leaked which could jeopardize national security. It should be noted that prior to the complaints being filed ministers and MPs dubbed the accusation ‘nonsense’.
The government must decide whether the accusations are nonsense or serious, since they threaten national security. In any case the way the government is handling this murky story, as it is not responding to the essence of the accusations, but rather gives the impression of trying to confuse and undermine its former partner. It is also clear that the government, which claims to struggle for the independence of the media, is essentially trying to censor and stop the revelations, via the courts, by citing threats against national security.
Nobody disputes the rights of anyone to defend whom ever they want, even those convicted for terrorism or serious crimes. However they cannot have an institutional role as a paid or informal consultant to the Minister of Justice. It is high time that some people in SYRIZA divd out that they cannot defend those who undermine democracy on the one hand and appear as protectors of democracy and the rule of law on the other.
TO VIMA
