Greek government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis expressed absolute trust in the judiciary on Tuesday following a Judicial Council ruling concerning former deputy minister Christos Triantopoulos.
Marinakis described the resolution issued by the Judicial Council as an intermediate stage in the judicial process prior to a final decision by the courts. He emphasized that Triantopoulos continues to hold the presumption of innocence while legal proceedings take place.
According to the spokesman, Triantopoulos had requested from the very beginning to be judged by his natural magistrates in court, as will take place under the law. Marinakis criticized opposition parties, particularly the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, for claiming vindication after previously condemning the decision by Triantopoulos to face judicial scrutiny.
Marinakis serves as the official government spokesman for Greece under the ruling New Democracy party. Triantopoulos is a New Democracy lawmaker who previously served as deputy minister to the prime minister. The Panhellenic Socialist Movement, commonly known as PASOK, forms one of the main opposition parties in the Hellenic Parliament.
The spokesman compared the current stance of the opposition to previous allegations made regarding OPEKEPE, the Payment and Control Agency for Agricultural State Aid, which manages agricultural subsidies in Greece. He noted that opposition members had hastily characterized New Democracy parliamentarians as defendants during that case, only for those lawmakers to be fully cleared weeks later.
Opposition claims and judicial procedures
Marinakis argued that if the opposition had been correct in its assertions while Triantopoulos was requesting to face trial, the Judicial Council would have returned the case file to Parliament to request an upgrade or modification of the indictment.
Addressing the underlying accusations, Marinakis stated that the specific omissions for which Triantopoulos is being referred bear no relation to claims circulated by opposition parties a year and a half ago following a tragic accident.
He explicitly rejected assertions spread at that time regarding lost train wagons, backfilling at the site aimed at concealing evidence, and an illegal cargo of xylene. Marinakis described those claims as lies disseminated for political exploitation.
Criticism of trial by media
The spokesman cautioned against the impact of public commentary on ongoing judicial proceedings, warning that television judges of all kinds, particularly those coming from the political system, have caused significant harm in Greece.
Concluding his statement, Marinakis called for an end to outside commentary and urged political figures to allow the justice system to carry out its duties.
