Under fire, Avgenakis vows to keep parliamentary seat

Former minister Lefteris Avgenakis on Wednesday indicated that he would not give up his parliamentary seat should he be expelled from the ruling New Democracy party, as expected, following footage that surfaced showing him assaulting an airport employee.

“I provided an explanation regarding the incident and issued a public apology. I was and remain an MP for the prefecture of Iraklio, and I will continue to serve the citizens of Crete with the same passion,” he said in a statement.

The 51-year-old, who has previously served as minister for rural development and minister for sports, had earlier apologized after a widely circulated video on social media showed him assaulting an employee at Athens International Airport. The incident, which Avgenakis sought to downplay as a “verbal” disagreement, reportedly occurred when he was denied boarding a flight to Crete due to a late arrival. The exact timing of the incident remains unclear.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday referred his MP to New Democracy’s ethics committee with a request for his expulsion. The committee was expected to endorse Mitsotakis’ recommendation.

Opposition parties also reacted to the incident with calls for his ouster from New Democracy’s parliamentary group.