Greek Member of the European Parliament Eleonora Meleti has defended her plenary speech on labor relations, claiming critics took a single phrase out of context to misrepresent her position on workers' rights.
Meleti, representing Greece's ruling New Democracy party, responded to public backlash following an address in the European Parliament concerning the relationship between employers and employees.
Addressing the controversy in a social media statement accompanied by a video of her remarks, Meleti said opponents had attempted since October 6 to portray her as an adversary of labor rights.
She rejected the criticism, noting that she had previously served as a shadow rapporteur on a parliamentary file specifically focused on the protection of workers and psychosocial risks in the workplace.
Meleti emphasized that the legislative report received broad cross-party approval, winning votes from Socialists, the Left, the Greens, and Liberals. She stated that while the facts regarding her work were clear, the distortion of her comments was equally obvious.
Controversy over plenary remarks
The backlash stemmed from an intervention during a European Parliament plenary session where Meleti spoke about workplace dynamics. In her speech, she stated that while many workers face bullying and devaluation, a significant number of employers are also subject to extortion by employees.
Meleti argued that isolating a single phrase from her speech did an injustice to her political work, distracted from the core issue, and misinformed citizens about their rights.
She added that focusing solely on that sentence excluded thousands of employers from the discussion and fueled a dangerous generalization that all employers are bastards.
Attribution and media criticism
Commenting on the reaction, Meleti addressed the actions of political opponents and news media coverage. She stated that while political rivals might choose disgraceful methods to gain attention, journalists have a duty to inform the public with accuracy and objectivity rather than reproducing propaganda.
Meleti expressed gratitude to journalists and colleagues who handled the reporting in accordance with journalistic ethics, adding that she also thanked those who would do so going forward.
Background on European Parliament role
Meleti was elected to the European Parliament in 2024 as a representative for New Democracy, Greece's governing center-right political party. Before entering politics, she was a prominent television presenter and journalist in Greece.
In the European Parliament, MEPs serving as shadow rapporteurs monitor specific legislative proposals on behalf of their political groups, negotiating amendments and shaping European Union policy on workplace safety and employment standards.
