Parliament lifts immunity of SYRIZA MP Dourou
In a tense atmosphere marked by political and occasionally personal altercations, Greek lawmakers unanimously decided on Tuesday to accept the request of the prosecuting authority and lift the parliamentary immunity of Rena Dourou.
This decision enables the continuation of the trial concerning the deadly wildfire in Mati in 2018, which had been suspended following Dourou’s election as an MP. The former Attica regional governor had previously requested both the lifting of her immunity and the expedited progress of the judicial proceedings.
In Parliament Tuesday, she came under fire from Zoe Konstantopoulou, the Course of Freedom leader and former parliamentary speaker, who also directed her criticism toward former PM Alexis Tsipras, in power at the time of the disaster.
“This tragedy will always be etched in my soul and in my thoughts,” said Dourou, adding that “the national tragedy that occurred in Mati is a disgrace to our nation and reflects the systemic failure of the political system.”
“I firmly believe that my exoneration in the courtroom is a necessary and indispensable condition for me to continue serving as a politician with dignity,” she added.
