Kammenos ducks MP’s questions about Florida trip

Defense Minister Panos Kammenos accused main opposition New Democracy Wednesday of wanting to ban parades by the country’s diaspora to celebrate Greek Independence Day.

The right-wing Independent Greeks (ANEL) leader had come under fire from conservative lawmaker Athanasios Davakis for traveling on the prime minister’s plane to Tarpon Springs in Florida to attend celebrations there by the Greek community, with a large entourage that included a 19-member military band.

Davakis had submitted a question to Parliament asking Kammenos to reveal the total cost of the trip, to explain why he did not meet with his American counterpart and why the military band went.

“It’s very interesting that Mr Davakis and New Democracy are proposing a ban on parades of the diaspora by submitting a question in Parliament,” the defense minister said in a statement, without however disclosing further details of his trip.