Greek politicians clash over 2019 penal code changes

Former Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis has issued a warning to former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras regarding the 2019 penal code amendments. Kontonis alleges that the SYRIZA government made “concessions” through these legislative changes, which he claims were intended to influence three high-profile pending court cases involving bribery and criminal organizations.

Kontonis clarified that his previous criticisms were political in nature rather than allegations of financial corruption against government officials. He stated that if provoked by Tsipras, he is prepared to disclose the contents of their private conversations regarding these legislative decisions.

In a separate critique, former SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis condemned the 2019 legal framework, specifically targeting provisions related to the sexual exploitation of minors. Kasselakis asserted that had he been aware of these specific changes, which he claims downgraded certain offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, he would never have joined or supported the SYRIZA party.