Government seeks dismissal of Nikos Pappas from SYRIZA’s parliamentary group
Government spokesman Stelios Petsas on Tuesday called for the dismissal from opposition SYRIZA’s parliamentary group of Nikos Pappas, a minister under the former leftist-led government.
Petsas’ call came a day after a businessman submitted an audio recording of a conversation with the former minister of state and media durng testimony to a parliamentary committee investigating allegations of interference in a bribery probe by SYRIZA’s ex-alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos.
In the recording submitted by Greek-Israeli businessman Sabby Mionis Pappas appears to admit to knowing that Papangelopoulos had his “own agenda” and was “making a lot of money” from backroom deals, or “outsourcing.”
“It has been 24 hours since the revelation of a ruthless parastate at work during his tenure and Mr [Alexis] Tsipras continues to remain silent,” Petsas said, seeking a response from the head of the SYRIZA opposition and former prime minister.
“The questions are relentless. Did Mr Tsipras know of the existence of this parastate? If so, what did he do about it? Was he informed by Mr Pappas, who was minister of state in his government at the time and his closest aide?” asked Petsas.
He added that Pappas ought to be struck from the party’s parliamentary group “as a minimum sign of respect for the rules of democracy.”
