Zoe Konstantopoulou: I Have Faced Similar Attacks from Another ND MP – One Apology Won’t Close the Issue

In response to the derogatory comment made in Parliament by Dimitris Kyriazidis, who was subsequently expelled from the New Democracy parliamentary group, Zoe Konstantopoulou, President of the Sail of Freedom party, spoke out on Saturday (08.03.25). She highlighted that she has faced similar verbal attacks in the past from a New Democracy MP and stated that an apology from Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is insufficient to resolve the matter. ‘An apology must have real substance rejecting misogyny and all practices of bullying, harassment, and gender-based violence, which I have been fighting against for nearly two years within Parliament as the only female party leader,’ Konstantopoulou said in an interview with MEGA. She emphasized the importance of the unanimous reaction and condemnation, particularly led by women MPs, noting that it would not have happened if the session had been chaired by a deputy from the ruling party. Additionally, Konstantopoulou revealed that she had previously been subjected to similar verbal attacks by another New Democracy MP, Makarios Lazaridis. She also mentioned numerous appeals to Prime Minister Mitsotakis to condemn such behaviors. ‘If he truly wants to show genuine remorse, he should schedule a discussion in Parliament this Friday about femicides and gender-based violence,’ she urged, insisting that the issue cannot be resolved with just one apology. Her mission remains to keep the issue open and defend those who have faced discrimination and bullying until equality becomes universally accepted, both in society and within Parliament, the government, and the state.