The motion of censure is the second one against the government and fundamentally on the same issue, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said after the tabling of the motion on Wednesday evening.
After denouncing the parties for tabling the motion in the middle instead of the end of the parliamentary session - which "essentially prevented the prime minister and other party leaders the opportunity to respond to comments and questions which were set" - Mitsotakis attacked the four parties signing the motion (PASOK, SYRIZA, Nea Aristera, Plefsi Eleftherias) and criticized them for lacking self-sufficiency: "We saw today how much self-sufficiency you have - an alliance of the willing nihilists without any proposal whatever."
Turning to Plefsi Eleftherias and its leader, Zoe Konstantopoulou, he said, "The proposal is for us to leave. Very interesting proposal, Ms Konstantopoulou, but at present in the last elections we received 41% and you just made 3%," referring to the minimum required by a party to gain seats in Parliament. "Therefore, this proposal will be judged in Parliament to start with, and then at national elections when they take place in 2027," the premier added.
Mitsotakis added that the government believed "every motion of censure is obviously welcome. It is always an opportunity to talk in toto." He added that at the end of the three-day debate, on Friday, "the obvious will be reconfirmed - the absolutely solidly united parliamentary group of New Democracy that will embrace the government with its majority vote."
Addressing himself to PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis, who tabled the motion, the PM said, "The precedent you have created, Mr Androulakis, is a very interesting precedent we will have the opportunity to dismantle politically and during this debate."
Concluding his remarks, Mitsotakis said, "The government requests of the presidium and Parliament to start debate immediately. Immediately, meaning at 19:00 today. I imagine you are not unprepared, ladies and gentlemen of the opposition. After all, you have been working on this censure of motion for a long time. You managed to come to an agreement at long last. Mr President, let us start at 19:00."