JOURNALIST : Minister, good evening.
G. GERAPETRITIS : Good evening, Mr. Sroiter. Thank you for your honorable invitation.
JOURNALIST : It is our pleasure. Allow me to begin with domestic affairs and an issue you have handled and you are very familiar with, the matter of Tempi which dominates the news. Mr. Spirtzis suggested today the formation of a preliminary inquiry committee to investigate any criminal responsibilities he would potentially have, to essentially investigate if he has any criminal liabilities. The government talks about communication tactics, so I would like to ask why you do not welcome such a move.
G. GERAPETRITIS : Allow me to correct the part that refers to Mr. Spirtzis' action. It is not about forming a preliminary investigation committee. Article 86, paragraph 5 of the Constitution provides that in case the procedure regarding criminal prosecution is completed, it is possible, on the initiative of the interested party, to form a simple advisory committee, which will assess the situation. Therefore, it is neither a preliminary investigation committee nor a committee that will lead to criminal prosecution. It does not examine criminal responsibilities; it simply evaluates the facts. Allow me also to say that there is not necessarily an indictment at the end of this advisory process.
As far as Mr. Spirtzis is concerned, the time limit for any potential criminal charges has expired following the legislative revision of 2019. The then government majority, our government majority, eliminated the very short statute of limitations, thereby extending the period during which prosecution can occur. On the other hand, for any actions occurring before the 2019 reform, the statute of limitations has already expired. So, such an action is without any legal consequences.
JOURNALIST : Let me put it more simply, Minister. Mr. Spirtzis seeks to voluntarily put himself in the frame, in contrast to the Minister during your party’s administration, Mr. Karamanlis, who has not sought to do something similar, namely to put himself in the frame and have any responsibilities investigated, if any exist. He did not even attend today’s debate in Parliament on the Tempi issue, a matter supposedly of great concern to him.
G. GERAPETRITIS : Mr. Karamanlis has already testified before the Investigation Committee, where he articulated his position on the matters quite clearly. I believe that this concludes his involvement. How he chooses to manage the situation is up to him. There is, however, a fundamental distinction: Mr. Karamanlis’ actions were assessed by the Investigation committee. The same does not apply to Mr. Spirtzis, though, since the statute of limitations has already expired for him. There's a big difference. The Parliament has ruled on Mr. Karamanlis' involvement and determined that there is no liability. The Greek Constitution, Mr. Sroiter -because I have heard a lot in recent days- outlines a distinct legal process for the criminal liability of political figures, akin to most Constitutions in Europe and the Western world. And this is done to prevent any potential abuse of power, politically motivated, rather than to provide immunity. We adhere to the fundamental European standards. It is the Parliament that evaluates and it has done so in this specific case; So, I believe we should remain within this framework.
JOURNALIST : Since we are discussing assessment, let me share how the citizens are assessing this case. I have three surveys in front of me, including Alpha’s survey; seven out of ten, Minister, believe that the government has attempted a cover-up in this matter. Four out of ten New Democracy voters feel exactly the same. So, I’d like to know whether this case has been handled perfectly, or whether an entirely different approach would have been followed.
G. GERAPETRITIS : Allow me to make a personal statement. As you rightly said, I, too, was involved in handling part of this case when it arose, and allow me to have a very clear position on this. There was absolutely no cover-up. There was a complete parliamentary procedure that was carried out immediately after the tragic accident, and we all understand or try to understand the unspeakable pain of people for the violent death of their loved ones. On the other hand, we had a thorough parliamentary procedure; there is an ongoing judicial procedure. An administrative committee was immediately formed to assess the incident. Additionally, Mr. Sroiter, on my initiative, there was an investigation launched by the European Railway Agency, the most impartial and independent body, and its report is anticipated very soon. Consequently, there has been complete transparency.
JOURNALIST : I reiterate. Seven out of ten Greeks believe there is an attempt at a cover-up. Are they mistaken?
G. GERAPETRITIS : In my opinion, what is true is that there is no other procedure that could be initiated. And I say this knowing the institutional processes. Allow me to say the following|: I realize that at this moment there is great disappointment on the part of the people, the citizens, about the fact that this tragic accident occurred. We can all imagine the pain caused by this. On the other hand, I want to tell you that there are institutions, there is Justice in which we must place our trust. There are parliamentary procedures, which in an organized state have value. Therefore, as this issue is also being raised in essence, I want to tell you that certainly at the moment the evaluation that has been done within the context of the parliamentary process was in relation to the proper fulfillment of the contracts, which led to the upgrading of the railway network. The delays that have occurred over time were mainly due to external factors. And all these delays, all the extensions that occurred, were made with the approval of the European Union; they were not the result of personal choice, nor were, in my opinion, also the responsibility of the politicians who were in office.
JOURNALIST : I note what you are saying. Now, let us turn to your portfolio. Talks with Türkiye are ongoing, with the Prime Minister's trip ahead. Minister, I’m not sure if you agree but there’s the sense that although we are discussing and exchanging pleasantries, in essence, Türkiye's position has not changed one bit. Türkiye has gained time; it acquired the F-16s it sought. I don't know what lies ahead, if it's challenges or an impasse, but it doesn't seem like there’s any room to progress or find common ground.
G. GERAPETRITIS : Once again, with all due respect, you'll permit me to express my viewpoint, disagreeing with yours.
JOURNALIST : Disagreement is welcome.
G. GERAPETRITIS : But for that reason, I believe the discussion should be held at this level. I want to tell you that there has been a clear improvement.
Mr. Sroiter, I believe you have an excellent memory, so if you look back in the past, you will recall instances of extremely hostile rhetoric. There have been attacks on the field. There was a risk of an accident which may have brought our country to the brink of war. As we speak today, we have, if anything, established a channel of communication that allows us to discuss. You know, Mr. Sroiter, I am a deliberative person by nature. What I cannot accept is that we cannot have a rational discussion. You told me that Türkiye is buying time to achieve collateral benefits.
JOURNALIST : It has achieved that.
G. GERAPETRITIS : I disagree because if you look back to 2019, let us remember that Türkiye was on the production line for F-35s whereas we on our part had not even entered the F-16 program. Where is our country today, Mr. Sroiter? It is in the process of upgrading its F-16s to Vipers and we have joined the F-35 program. In contrast, Türkiye has been removed from the F-35 production system and is in the process of acquiring the F-16s.
JOURNALIST : The Prime Minister says not to harbor any illusions about Türkiye. What do you mean by that?
G. GERAPETRITIS : I think it is very clear. We all realize that discussing with Türkiye is very difficult because there are huge historical burdens and disagreements on principle. We will not deviate from our fundamental positions, which are based on international law and have a solid historical foundation.
Türkiye has its own positions, from which it also does not easily deviate. What we should say is that, without being utopists, we wish to discuss the difficult issues, and we wish to do so under terms that could be productive. I have stated that the most essential thing for me is that the existing tensions and disagreements do not generate crises, and I believe that we have achieved that over the last year. And I think our position, which I believe the Prime Minister meant, is that we should obviously be prepared for all scenarios, ready for anything that may arise. On the other hand, we should always strive for the best and the best thing, allow me to say, is not always to have our hand on the trigger. The best thing is to be able to coexist in conditions of prosperity.
JOURNALIST : Regarding the informal discussions and unannounced meetings—while the meetings themselves are publicized, their details are not—I understand that you may not be able to disclose much, but I'll inquire nonetheless.
Do you perceive any willingness, any steps toward significant issues, Minister, that could lead to some concessions, to finding common ground?
G. GERAPETRITIS : First, let us note the following. On the first level, we are currently experiencing a period of relative calm in the Aegean. It wasn’t long ago that we had a daily count of violations of Greek airspace. Today, we have none at all. Secondly, today we have a positive agenda. We already have a series of mutually beneficial agreements.
JOURNALIST : What about the major and thorny issues?
G. GERAPETRITIS : So far, there has been no discussion on the major and challenging issues, particularly regarding the delimitation of the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone. This is indeed the fundamental issue from which it is hard to deviate from and if you may, it is also the root of the arising problems. Our intention is to initiate discussions given that the conditions are mature—that is, when both parties have agreed on a procedural framework for these talks.
We have experienced deep contention in our region for many decades. I believe we have a duty to both current and especially future generations to leave a legacy of peace in our neighborhood. We will exhaust every possibility to ensure that we can live in a peaceful neighborhood sharing good relations with all our neighbors without deviating from our core positions, without relinquishing any aspect of our sovereignty.
JOURNALIST : Minister, thank you very much.
G. GERAPETRITIS : It was a great honor for me.
March 21, 2024