Parliament debating ex minister’s immunity

Greek Parliament was on Wednesday debating lifting former alternate health minister Pavlos Polakis’ immunity from prosecution to pave the way for a judicial inquiry into accusations made by Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras that he recorded a private telephone conversation between the pair without his consent, as well as a charge of slander made by the head of the workers’ union of Greece’s Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO), Stamatis Poulis.

Parliament’s ethics committee has already recommended lifting the ex minister's immunity. A vote by the plenary is expected later in the day.

Speaking in Parliament Wednesday, Polakis accused the government of aiming to stifle criticism from the opposition, denouncing the process as a “clear act of political persecution” and “immoral act of revanchism.”