Former SYRIZA Minister Stavros Kontonis Launches Direct Attacks on Opposition Over “High Treason” Accusation
Former SYRIZA minister Stavros Kontonis launched direct criticism at opposition parties that co-signed the indictment for “high treason.” He emphasized that while Parliament has investigative duties similar to those of law enforcement, it is ultimately the role of judges to assign the final legal classification to acts and charges.
Speaking on ERT’s First Programme with Thanos Siafakas, the former Minister of Justice and former Minister of Sports described Parliament’s role in investigating cases like the Tempi train disaster as “insignificant,” recalling that both during SYRIZA’s time in power with the Novartis case, and under the current government with the Triantopoulos case, the approach was to leave the matters entirely to the judiciary without parliamentary interference.
“Parliament performs the duties of a police officer when it conducts a preliminary investigation,” he said, adding that it is the judges who ultimately determine the legal definition of acts and charges.
Referring specifically to MP Karystianos’ proposal to establish a preliminary investigative committee and to the “high treason” accusations co-signed by 32 MPs from Freedom Sailing, Victory, Hellenic Solution, and the Kasselistas group, Mr. Kontonis spoke of “unprecedented political rivalry” and “exaggerations” reminiscent of bygone eras.
“We’ve reached the point where it’s about who can say the most outrageous thing just to make an impression,” he remarked.
The former minister voiced concern over the fact that such a heterogenous alliance of “far-right, religious zealots, and populists” had signed the proposal, warning that such alignment serves neither democracy nor progressive opposition.
“Those forces aiming to defame parliamentary democracy and effectively plant a bomb at its foundations are the ones converging.”
“What we are witnessing is extreme populism gaining short-term success by playing on public emotion,” he said, stressing that serious opposition must be “programmatic and focused on the real problems citizens face.”
Regarding the Triantopoulos case, Mr. Kontonis clarified that referring suspects directly to a regular court is fully compatible with the Constitution—provided the individuals involved consent to appear before their natural judge.
