Maria Karystianou, president of the Greek political movement Elpida gia ti Dimokratia, has warned of legal consequences for former party figures making offensive allegations.
Speaking on Greek television channel MEGA on Monday morning, Karystianou stated that individuals making unsubstantiated claims against the movement must explain their arguments or face legal proceedings. She emphasized that people cannot simply make arbitrary statements without accountability.
MEGA is a major private television network in Greece. Elpida gia ti Dimokratia, which translates to Hope for Democracy, is a political movement established three months ago.
Allegations of System Influence and Party Resignations
Karystianou claimed she had received information indicating that certain individuals join the movement to take photographs and register their names before being approached by the broader political establishment days later. She said this information aligned with recent developments she had observed within the organization.
Addressing the recent departure of Kostas Dountoulakis, who left while criticizing what he called an authoritarian personality-centered leadership under Karystianou and party figure Gratsia, Karystianou said she did not know him. She added that Dountoulakis had contributed nothing to the movement prior to his sudden departure and said the party would not dwell on his exit.
The party president declared that she would not accept blackmail regarding resignations. She suggested some individuals may have joined under the assumption that female leaders could be easily managed or manipulated, adding that such attempts had failed. She urged supporters not to focus on those who leave noisily with unsubstantiated accusations.
Dispute With Communications Official Thanassis Avgerinos
Turning to the resignation of former communications official Thanassis Avgerinos, Karystianou called on him to present public evidence for his allegations after he chose to engage in public debate rather than internal dialogue.
She described a coordinated fringe group that emerged within two hours of Avgerinos's departure to support him, questioning how an authoritarian movement could foster such an internal faction. Karystianou stated that leadership had noticed this element prior to publishing the movement's founding declaration but chose to monitor it to identify those involved, adding that the episode ultimately united party supporters.
According to Karystianou, Avgerinos approached the movement voluntarily after observing its work for three and a half years. He helped draft the founding declaration and assumed control of media communications without a formal assignment.
She explained that after ordinary citizens repeatedly asked why party leaders were not appearing in public or on television, political council members passed these concerns to Avgerinos. After he insisted on maintaining his strategy, Karystianou intervened to establish a dedicated press office, informing Avgerinos during a Political Council meeting.
Internal Governance and Policy Presentation Schedule
Responding to criticisms regarding a lack of internal democratic elections, Karystianou noted that despite the movement being only three months old, critics were already speaking as though the organization had died. She explained that local intrigues had developed among individuals seeking coordinator titles, leading leadership to decide against local elections so all members would serve simply as dedicated participants.
She cited Thessaloniki and Serres as northern Greek cities where this structure functioned successfully, contrasting them with Crete, where an individual attempted to declare himself co-leader and control operations. Thessaloniki and Serres are major urban centers in northern Greece, while Crete is the country's largest island.
Looking ahead, Karystianou announced that the movement's policy program will be finalized by the end of August. The completed platform is scheduled for a detailed public presentation at the Thessaloniki International Fair, Greece's primary annual political and commercial summit held in September.
