A sharp political clash erupted in the Hellenic Parliament on Thursday, May 14, 2026, between Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis and Zoe Konstantopoulou, president of the political party Plousia Eleftherias (Freedom Movement). The confrontation intensified when Konstantopoulou directly named Georgiadis during a parliamentary session, accusing him of operating within a “paramilitary mechanism” — a reference to the scheduled meeting of the Ethics Committee regarding requests to lift her parliamentary immunity.
Allegations of Political and Judicial Targeting
Konstantopoulou claimed she is facing coordinated political and judicial pressure, citing what she described as rushed criminal complaints filed against her at Parliament. She specifically referenced a complaint lodged by Georgiadis, which she labeled a “false accusation.” Asking rhetorically, “What are they scheming? How will they target me, as an inconvenient political leader?”, she also directed pointed criticism toward Giorgos Georgantas, chair of the Ethics Committee.
She linked the complaints to the Tempi train disaster case, asserting that they aim to intimidate parents of victims, lawyers — including herself, who has represented families in the case — and others involved. “Where officials should be kneeling to ask for forgiveness, they’re organizing criminal complaints instead,” she said, alleging a broader orchestrated effort carried out under the direction of ministers Nikos Floridis and Dimitris Sevastidis. Konstantopoulou denounced the actions as an abuse of power and warned that those involved would themselves face legal complaints.
She further argued that a recently announced fast-track judicial reform by the Justice Minister — intended to expedite case processing — does not apply equally, but rather targets opposition MPs. “You attempted it yesterday against another party leader; you’re doing it to me intensively now, and others will follow,” she added.
Georgiadis Rejects ‘Paramilitary’ Claim, Focuses on Labor Violations
In his response, Georgiadis firmly rejected the characterization of any “paramilitary mechanism” pursuing Konstantopoulou. Instead, he shifted focus to a labor dispute involving a former employee of Konstantopoulou’s office at the Labour Inspectorate. According to Georgiadis, the employee filed a formal complaint stating she had not been paid wages for an entire year.
He accused Konstantopoulou of hypocrisy — rather than addressing the grievance, he said, she was attacking the Labour Inspectorate itself. Citing data from Greece’s national employment registry (ERGANE) and the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE), he asserted the employee remains officially listed as active on Konstantopoulou’s payroll. “You owe her money, and you’ve also committed a tax violation,” he stated, adding emphatically: “You’ve eaten her salaries — and violated labor law.”
The exchange triggered strong reactions from Konstantopoulou, who sought the floor again. However, the Deputy Speaker denied her request, and the session concluded early to prepare the chamber for the President’s upcoming address.