Minister of Foreign Affairs Nikos Dendias’ second intervention at the Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament (13.07.2022)

Mr. President,

I thank the
representatives of the parties because, as usual, the open debate was conducted
at a high level and did not drift off course.

For the sake of
good order, I would like to make a statement in the public part of the session regarding
the Prime Minister of the country.

It is understood that
the presence of a Minister and the actions taken by a Minister in informing the
representatives of the parties are done in the name and at the behest of the
head of government.

It cannot and will
never be otherwise. And of course a
government’s perception is always uniform. And I would like to say something
that springs to mind: unless my memory is serving me incorrectly, at no time has anyone’s patriotism been
questioned by this government.

We may have
disagreements over the handling of issues, we may have disagreements on
specific positions when debating specific legislation or treaties, but the
government always takes everyone’s patriotism for granted.

Woe betide if it
were any other way, and in this regard the Prime Minister of the country has
repeatedly stated the need for national unanimity.

As one has to be
fair, I would like to say that, to a very large extent, although we have gone
through periods of extreme acrimony, the national parliamentary debate has been
maintained at a high level of seriousness and competence.

As regards the
issues raised by Mr. Loverdos, I will respond to him in the Plenary Session. I
will be here the day after tomorrow to answer your question. I have taken notes
on the other issues raised, Mr. President, and I will answer them in the closed
part of our meeting.