“This is essentially a personal dispute, following the extremely abusive behavior of my colleague Mr. Grammenos at the expense of my mother and me, without the slightest political background or expediency and without, of course, under any circumstances having the intention to prevent him from exercising his parliamentary duties his duties”.
This refers, among other things, to memorandum delivered to the investigator by the independent MP (elected with the “Spartiates”) Konstantinos Florosto refute the charge of violence against the member of the Hellenic Solution, Vasilis Grammenouduring the exercise of his duties, which he is burdened with after yesterday’s episode in the Parliament. Mr. Floros was released after his pleaprovided that do not approach Mr. Grammenos at a distance of less than 50 meters.
In the multi-page memorandum testified by Mr. Floros, states that he was strongly provoked by the member of parliament of Hellenic Solution, Vassilis Grammenos, while emphasizing that he did not punch him. As he claims, Mr. Grammenos was the one who started a verbal attack against him: “Mr. Grammenos addressed my face, calling me ‘trash’ and shouting at me to shut it up. Then I answered him “Come on, don’t you talk…”, and he unleashed a torrent of insults, mentioning verbatim: “Your mother.” And while he was leaving the room, he continued: “You, your mother, I will take her… I will also take you with the bracelets inside. You will remember it… Obviously I lost my temper, and followed Mr. Grammenos out of the courtroom, where he continued the insults, threats and the same belligerent behavior, not only at my expense, but also at the expense of the Police witness present.”
The accused MP also states:
“Both of us, always according to the police witness, were trying to push each other away, while he states that my only action was to try to grab Mr. Grammenos by the nose, with him eventually falling down. Therefore, I never hit him in the face, as he falsely states in his testimony, I never punched him as is falsely spread, nothing further than the above ever took place.”
It should be noted that from his side, the victim of the case file, MP Vassilis Grammenos, has claimed in his statements that he said absolutely nothing to Mr. Floros and how he was punched by the defendant, resulting in his injury.
The Parliament is moving to tighten the penalties after the attack by K. Floros
In direction of stiffening penalties for incidents similar to what happened with Konstantinos Floros, the Parliament is now moving and already the parameters and axes on which the new “penal code” will operate are examined; so that similar behaviors are not repeated in the future.
Parliamentary sources said that never in the past has there been such an incident but also a similar reaction and treatment. For the first time, a member of parliament was detained and taken to GADA, where he remained until he was taken to the investigator.
The same sources state that the as soon as the president of the Parliament found out about the event, he ordered that the offending MP should not leave the Parliament.
According to the same sources, on the subject of vulgar expressions heard in the Greek Parliament, there are no minutes because the microphones were off. That the issue of the insults that were heard will concern the Parliamentary Procedure Committee.
The article 157 of the Criminal Code which was activated, before its conversion in 2019, it also provided for deprivation of political rights of the respective perpetrator.
K. Floros regretted his apology
The independent MP appeared remorseful after his apology Konstantinos Floros. “I was absolutely wrong. This behavior is not an example for a Greek MP” he said among other things.
The independent MP coming from the Spartans, crossed the threshold of the investigator accused of the criminal act of violence against a member of parliament after the wild episode in Parliament.
“My outburst, which I realize is unfair to my personality and above all to my parliamentary presence, is obviously nothing more than a momentary reaction to the terrible verbal attack I received,” he said in his apology.
THE lawyer of Mr. Floros, Vasso Pantazis he said: “Criminal justice knows how to assess facts and get to the bottom of it. In a human way of approach, the lady investigator and the lady prosecutor pointed out to him that such behavior is not understood by a Greek member of parliament”.
Important testimony recommends that of of a police officer who was forced to act as a “firefighter” in the episode outside the Plenary Chamber in the Parliament.
The policeman stated: “I was approached by Vassilis Grammenos outside the Parliament hall and he said to me: “Get the independent of the Spartans high so that we don’t have any more”. I asked him which independent MP he meant and before he could tell me, the independent MP Floros came out of the parliament and the two of them started arguing”.
The policeman also described him dialogue that followed between the two MPs.
K. Floros: What is your problem with me? Tell me.
B. Grammenos: Do us a favor and get out of here.
K. Floros: You’re cursing motherfuckers, shut up.
B. Grammenos: I’ll do whatever I like anyway.
V. Grammenos in ERTNews
The Member of Parliament for the Greek Solution, Vassilis Grammenos, speaking to ERTNews, denied the accusations.
“I have been a combative journalist with a public voice for 30 years. I have never provoked, I have never profane, I have never insulted “holy and holy”. I categorically deny that I insulted any member of parliament, political staff, police officer inside the plenary session and outside it,” he stressed.
The defense asked to testify as defense witnesses two MPs of the ND and also the independent, former MP of the Spartans, Dionysis Valtogiannis.
Mr. Valtogiannis said, among other things: “I’m listening, I’ll put bracelets on you. I went to restrain Floros, I didn’t succeed. From the outside, I have no opinion.”
The parties condemned the wild episode in the parliament
“To change the rules of the Parliament, stricter provisions. It should be possible for the member of parliament to lose his seat when he behaves like this,” said Mr ND MP Vassilis Yogakas.
THE Simeon Kedikoglou, MP of SYRIZA, stressed: “What happened is unacceptable. The strictest measures. They don’t solve problems.”
“It is a reprehensible event, the punishments need to be tightened” underlined Manolis Christodoulakis, MP of PASOK – KINAL.
THE Nikos Karathanasopoulis, Member of Parliament of the KKEsaid: “The far-right formations entered parliament as a continuation of the Nazis.”
THE accused spent the night in GADA by order of the investigating officer after the deadline he requested yesterday afternoon for his apology.
Sources: ERT, APE-BE | Reporting: Kostas Konstantopoulos, Dina Tsoukala, Eleni Bouga | Editor: Katerina Faka
Tags: Floros lost temper hit Grammenos face statement gave investigator
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