Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis launched a fierce attack on the opposition parties during his speech against the government, while simultaneously apologizing to Zoe Konstantopoulou for comments made by MP Dimitris Kyriazidis. Mitsotakis referred to the opposition as proponents of the ‘go-anywhere’ approach and labeled them as ‘liars’ regarding the Tempi train derailment incident. He emphasized his readiness to revise Article 86 concerning ministerial responsibility.
Regarding Zoe Konstantopoulou, Mitsotakis stated: ‘Let me begin by apologizing to Ms. Konstantopoulou. I wish to offer an apology on behalf of our party for the inappropriate remarks made by Mr. Kyriazidis towards you. Our party can maintain its dignity in the face of someone who has called us murderers and a criminal organization. I distinguish the woman from the politician. We have a duty to break stereotypes that do not belong in a modern society.’
Mitsotakis addressed the timing of the no-confidence motion, which aims to remove the government amidst unprecedented geopolitical turmoil. He highlighted successes at recent EU summits, including measures exempting defense spending increases from deficit calculations and discussions on new European defense investments. He noted shifts in US-European relations and France’s push for expanded nuclear deterrence.
He criticized the opposition’s lack of alternative proposals, labeling them as opportunists without clear policies on health, education, or foreign affairs. Referring to the Tempi tragedy, he accused opposition leader Androulakis of misrepresenting facts and reiterated his commitment to holding accountable any operational failures through legal processes.
Finally, Mitsotakis proposed constitutional revisions, expressing willingness to review articles on judicial leadership selection and ministerial criminal liability (Article 86). He urged bipartisan cooperation on these critical reforms.