Former Spartiates MP punches lawmaker during Parliament debate
A former lawmaker with far-right Spartiates party punched another MP in the face on Wednesday during a tense argument in Parliament over a defamation lawsuit.
The incident occurred during a discussion on the lifting of the immunity of Kyriakos Velopoulos, president of nationalist Greek Solution, who has been sued for defamation by a retired Navy officer. The retired officer’s son, MP Konstantinos Floros, had asked to speak in the Plenary during the debate, but was told by the parliamentary spokesperson of Greek Solution, Constantinos Chitas, that the regulation did not allow it.
Floros shouted that “this will be decided by judges,” to which another Greek Solution MP, Vassilis Grammenos, replied “shut up, you trash!”
The tension escalated when the two lawmakers stepped outside the plenary and Floros put Grammenos in a headlock, throwing him on the ground.
Grammenos was transferred to the parliament’s clinic for emergency aid.
The incident was condemned by Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tassoulas describing it as a “brutal behavior” and asked for Floros’ 15-day expulsion from Parliament, the highest penalty provided for by the rules of the House.
“When we were making the procedural rules of the Parliament we thought we were addressing fundamentally rational people,” he told lawmakers, adding that this penalty is “very light compared with the vulgarity and brutality of his behavior,” but warned that Floros’ immunity will be lifted to face possible lawsuit by his victim.
On his side, Velopoulos said it was “unthinkable” for politicians to act in this manner. “Do you know what is the difference between humans and other animals? Animals may react if you bother them. But man differs in mind, judgment and logic, which some people do not have here, unfortunately.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court is expected to rule today on the eligibility of political parties contesting the June 9 European Parliament elections, including the far-right Spartiates, who are being prosecuted for voter fraud. The far-right party is accused of deceiving the electorate as to its real leadership.
