ND MP Charalambos Athanasiou made a clarifying statement after the wave of reactions caused by his position on the issue of surveillance, in which he cited Muslim MPs as an example.
In detail, Mr. Athanasiou clarifies that:
“Since there have been misinterpretations of what I said in an interview, I emphasize that I never questioned the patriotism of my fellow MPs regardless of religion.
This does not follow from a careful reading of my entire position. What I clearly outlined was my scientific view on declassification in matters of national security protection.”
Wave of reactions from the opposition
The statement of the former minister of justice had provoked strong reactions, with SYRIZA – Progressive Alliance, calling on the Prime Minister and president of the ND Kyriakos Mitsotakis to dismiss him, citing a “crescent of intolerance”.
Among other things, SYRIZA stated that “Mr. Athanasiou should have known that “national security” concerns the intervention of a third country in the internal affairs of Greece or participation in criminal activities. It does not and cannot concern the religion of Greek citizens or parliamentarians . Mr. Athanasiou essentially claims that those who are not Christian Orthodox are nationally dangerous.”
On the PASOK-KINAL side, MPs Ilhan Ahmed (Rodopi) and Burhan Baran (Xanthi) expressed their unequivocal condemnation of Athanasiou’s statements regarding the expediency of monitoring Muslim MPs.
“After the case of the president of our Movement, Nikos Androulakis, we are facing a new institutional slippage,” said Mr. Ahmet, while Mr. Baran emphasized that “Stigma due to religious beliefs in a privileged and constitutionally protected Democracy is unequivocally reprehensible and reprehensible, as the free functioning of our democratic polity dictates,” he adds.
The original statement of Athanasios
Earlier today, Charalambos Athanasiou, arguing that surveillance for reasons of national security is legal in an example he gave had referred to Muslim MPs.
“Let’s say an MP has a completely different religious orientation than the Orthodox. Let’s say a Muslim MP from Northern Greece – we’re not saying there’s no edge, by God. Let’s say he gives some information to the neighboring country, where the immigrants will come from etc. Why shouldn’t it be checked? National Security comes first here,” Mr. Athanasiou had said.
He added that “if the procedure provided for by the legislator is followed, of course, and I’m mentioning it to you. I’m mentioning it to you because I’ve noted it, I’ve been waiting for this question, I’m reading to you what the implementing, executive law of the Constitution says, what the Constitution says us in article 19. It says verbatim: Law defines the guarantees under which the judicial authority is not bound by secrecy for reasons of national security”
Source: Capital
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