Athens (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Greek spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis demands SYRIZA expel MEP Nikos Pappas over offensive Instagram comments about police. Pappas defends himself and criticizes the government’s focus on wildfires.
What led to the Greek government’s call for Nikos Pappas’ expulsion?
Greece Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis called for SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis to unseat MEP Nikos Pappas from the party after a personal Instagram conversation in which Pappas seemed to make offensive comments against a police officer was leaked online.
Nikolaos “Nikos” Pappas is a Greek ex-professional basketball player who last played for Panathinaikos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague. He is currently functioning as a Member of the European Parliament for the Syriza.
“In a normal party, his expulsion would be self-evident. Such behaviours have no place in our democracy,” stated Marinakis, adding that a representative of Greece in the European Parliament should not offend police officers. “Mr. Kasselakis, there’s no need for many words in such cases, just the obvious decision to expel him. We await your response,” he said.
How did Nikos Pappas respond to the allegations against him?
In his answer via Instagram, SYRIZA MEP Nikos Pappas, after saying that he respects the security forces, claimed that the alleged police official had made insulting remarks against him and his family.
“I respect and recognize the security forces—they know this themselves from private conversations we’ve had. But I will not accept threats or insults from any far-right troll or fascist targeting me and my family,” stated Pappas.
Furthermore, he blamed the government for trying to shift the plan away from the wildfires raging across Greece. “It would be better for those at the Maximos Mansion to negotiate with more serious matters. The world is burning, people are dying,” he stated.
