Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis distanced himself from Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis’s controversial claim that former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had “taken money” to amend the Penal Codes — but he did not back away from broader political criticism of Tsipras and his administration.
A Measured Political Pushback
Speaking on SKAI on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, Marinakis declined to repeat Georgiadis’s direct allegation. “I will never say something like that,” he stated, emphasizing his avoidance of personal attacks — while affirming his commitment to robust political critique.
This distinction carried dual significance: it signaled a clear rhetorical boundary from Georgiadis’s phrasing, yet kept open a wider line of attack against SYRIZA’s governance record — particularly on justice policy.
‘Data That Are Not Disputed’
Though Marinakis refrained from endorsing the suggestion of financial inducement, he maintained the government’s position that certain legislative decisions under Tsipras’s leadership were politically motivated. He referred to what he called “data that are not disputed,” pointing to amendments to the Penal Codes passed during SYRIZA’s term.
Those changes, he argued, led to the early release of serious offenders and reduced sentences for grave crimes — including rape and homicide. “There are provisions that stand out,” he said, linking them to Tsipras’s current political narrative centered on moral authority.
The ‘Supposed Integrity’ Critique
Marinakis criticized Tsipras’s attempt at political re-emergence under the banner of “supposed integrity.” He indicated the government would respond by highlighting developments in the justice system during SYRIZA’s tenure — notably referencing past statements by former SYRIZA ministers such as Nikos Tsiaras and Stavros Theodorakis, who had accused the current government of operating a de facto “shadow Ministry of Justice.”
“Imagine Tsiaras and Theodorakis claiming that, under Mitsotakis, there’s a parallel Ministry of Justice,” Marinakis remarked — underscoring the symmetry he sees in political rhetoric across administrations.
A Legal Safeguard in Political Language
His repeated emphasis — “I can’t speak without evidence, but data exist” — served as both a legal safeguard and a political device. It avoided unsubstantiated claims while reinforcing the government’s framing of SYRIZA’s justice reforms as ideologically driven and socially consequential.