Zelensky to address Greek parliament: how opposition parties react

President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky will address the Greek Parliament via video link two weeks later than planned. The new date has been set for 12 noon on Thursday 7 April, the Speaker of Parliament confirmed on Monday.

Zelenskiy will address parliament via Webex and his speech will last between 10 and 15 minutes, modeled on speeches he has given in the European Parliament and a number of other parliaments. The speech will be simultaneously translated into Greek and English.

The extraordinary plenary session of the Greek Parliament will be attended by the Prime Minister and leaders of the opposition parties.

The main opposition party SYRIZA and the socialists KINAL/PASOK welcomed the invitation of the Ukrainian president. “PInviting President Zelensky to speak in Parliament is a gesture of solidarity. Greece should play a leading role in diplomatic efforts to end the war immediately, as a country of peace and soft power”, — wrote Georgios Katrugalos on Twitter.

Θετική κίνηση αλληλεγγύης η πρόσκληση στον Πρόεδρο Ζελένσκι να μιλήσει στη Βουλή.
Η ελλάδα πρέπει να πρωταγωνιστήσει στη Διπλωματική προΣάάάειι πρρσσάάάιια ΓιαάιΣό τευ αέέισ του ώέέυ, ςοςώώώ ειήήνης κ ήπιας ισχύος.

— George Katrougalos (@gkatr) March 25, 2022

Earlier, SYRIZA expressed its disagreement with supply of arms to Ukraine. She even protested in Parliament against the fact that the political parties of Greece were not informed, declaring the voluntaristic decisions of Mitsotakis.

Communist Party of the KKE reportedly criticized this event:Yelensky represents the reactionary government backed by the US-NATO campEU, and is responsible, like Russia, for the tragedy of the Ukrainian people. This government supported and integrated Nazi organizations for years, persecuted and imprisoned communists, outlawed the Communist Party of Ukraine. “Our position is clear, and we would do the same if Putin, Biden, etc. came.“.

Janis Varoufakis, most likely, will not be at the meeting, but deputies of his party MeRA25 will be present.

The Greek decision (Ελληνική Λύση) complained that the Prime Minister did not inform and consult the party leaders in advance: “The Prime Minister, without informing, as usual, political leaders, invited the President of Ukraine to speak via videoconference in the Greek Parliament. In pparliament, which the prime minister and his ministers, as well as some political leaders, “visit” quite rarely. Therefore, the Greek Solution is looking forward to Mr. Zelensky’s clarification on his defense agreement, which he signed with Turkey long before the war, and which is directed against the interests of Greece and our national security, as well as his position on the behavior of the Ukrainian state regarding Greek diaspora“.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis invited President Zelenskiy to address the Greek parliament via video link as they spoke by phone March 25. The original plan was for Zelenskiy to address parliament this week, likely on Wednesday or Thursday, but plans have changed, most likely due to peace talks in Turkey.

Source link