An announcement regarding what unfolded at "Eleftherios Venizelos" airport was issued by Lefteris Avgenakis.
Mr. Avgenakis apologizes, however, he speaks of "exaggerations and inaccuracies that are circulated in publications", arguing that it was a verbal tension.
The announcement of Lefteris Avgenakis
"I am clearly sorry and apologize for the tension and disruption caused recently at the airport with a company employee, trying to get on my flight to Heraklion.
At the same time, however, I am surprised by the exaggerations and inaccuracies that are circulating in the publications of the last few days about an incident of "severe beatings", "fainting", "manual trials" on my part.
Indeed, there was an incident of verbal tension with an employee of the company as he did not allow me to board claiming that boarding had been completed, while as I could see with my own eyes the passengers were in the boarding bellows.
Finally, he repeatedly refused to allow me to speak to his supervisor or another airline official as a last ditch effort to get me to travel on time, which led to me trying to take the phone out of his hands to speak myself .
However, the incident remained at the level of disagreement and verbal tension only."
A little later, Lefteris Avgenakis also appeared on ERT, apologizing and saying that he himself will request the lifting of his immunity if necessary.
"It was an unfortunate moment, it upsets me, it saddens me, I am bound by the law if I have to ask for my immunity to be lifted," he said.
At the same time, speaking to SKAI, he said that he is not thinking of resigning from his position.
Marinakis: Behaviors of the type "do you know who I am?" are not tolerated
When asked about the issue, before his statement as a member of parliament, the government representative Pavlos Marinakis said that explanations were requested, however declaring that "behavior of the type 'do you know who I am?' are not tolerated." "I will tell you that time may be given for the cases of the performance of government work, but behaviors are judged instantly and "do you know who I am?" behaviors are not acceptable," the government representative told ANT1.
After being informed of Mr. Avgenakis' statement, the government representative commented "I think we will come back".
The president of the Parliament also asked for an explanation
Lefteris Avgenakis was also contacted by the Speaker of the Parliament, Konstantinos Tasoulas, who asked him for an explanation for his anti-parliamentary behavior.
The video of the moment of Lefteris Avgenakis' attack on the airport employee
WILD WOOD FROM A MINISTER TO AN EMPLOYEE OF EL. VENIZELOS! #MINISTER #AIRPORT #ELEFTHERIOSVENIZELOS pic.twitter.com/i2OC02jZ1c
— Voice News (@apokalyptikodel) July 2, 2024
It is recalled that OSEYPE reported the incident, which happened last Friday morning, claiming that Lefteris Avgenakis slapped the employee, who then fainted, while later, when a probationary police officer ran to intervene, the former minister, as he complains OSEPE, threatened to transfer him and shouted "don't touch me, I have immunity".
PASOK: The violent behavior of Avgenakis is shameful and condemnable
"The shameful and violent behavior of the former Minister of Rural Development and Member of Parliament of New Democracy, Lefteris Avgenakis, against an employee at the international airport" E-mail. Venizelos" is absolutely reprehensible", says PASOK in a statement.
And he continues: "The "apology" of Mr. Avgenakis 24 hours late and after he was called for an explanation by the president of the Parliament, is not convincing. Such behaviors cannot be tolerated, they are the product of arrogance and we have a duty to isolate them because they reinforce the discredit of politics."
Source: iefimerida.gr - Hand-checked at "El. Venizelos" Avgenakis - Apologized, "the incident remained at the level of verbal tension only" – iefimerida.gr
