The government is ready to go on the offensive following the ongoing investigation into the death of Vasilis Kalogirou, son of Larisa Court of Appeals prosecutor Sofia Apostolaki-Kalogirou, who was overseeing the probe into the Tempi tragedy. The news of his death became fuel for “wild” conspiracy theories and speculations that went viral on social media within hours, particularly after his mother’s post, in which she attributed his death to a criminal act with both physical perpetrators and moral instigators.

Given this, the Maximos Mansion believes the situation is getting out of control, with even Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reportedly deeply irritated by claims suggesting the government “ordered” Kalogirou’s death in connection to the Tempi investigation.

The rumors quickly spread from social media and fringe sites to Parliament. On Thursday afternoon, Zoe Konstantopoulou raised questions about Kalogirou’s death, while Sokratis Famellos echoed similar concerns the following day. In the same vein, Stefanos Kasselakis of the Democracy Movement called on the Supreme Court prosecutor to “speak up,” while independent MP Rallia Christidou, a member of his party, explicitly referred to “murder.” “Is this a random murder or a message to the judiciary? Has the mafia now infiltrated the country’s institutional life, trying to intimidate those who insist on serving the truth?” Christidou wrote in the form of rhetorical questions.

At Maximos Mansion, the prevailing view is that there is a deliberate attempt at political exploitation that could escalate to extreme levels. There is also deep concern over the growing public traction of radical theories that would have once been dismissed as fringe conspiracies. Setting the tone for the government’s response, spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis is expected to appear in a high-decibel television interview on Open TV today. Meanwhile, government fury over the accusations—both direct and veiled—was strongly expressed in Parliament yesterday by Makis Voridis and Adonis Georgiadis.

Voridis in a Fury

Makis Voridis, already fired up from his morning coffee, stormed into the parliamentary session, enraged by the “questions” raised by Sokratis Famellos. He also lashed out at Pavlos Polakis and Freedom Sailing MP Alexandros Kazamias. “You’ve crossed every line. You come in here and claim the government murdered an innocent man, and we’re supposed to sit quietly and listen? You say the Prime Minister and the government ordered the assassination of an innocent man, and when we call you vile mudslingers, you scold us? […] Today, we have to endure you saying that we orchestrate murders over an untimely and tragic death, and you don’t even have the patience to wait for the forensic report. That’s how rabid and discredited you’ve become, dragging political debate to this level,” Voridis shouted amid interruptions.

Parliamentary Clash

“Enough!” from Ministers

“In one breath, you call us pedophiles. In the next, you call us smugglers. Now, we’re murderers? Enough!” thundered Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis in Parliament, responding to a heated exchange with SYRIZA MP Kostas Barkas.

“Enough! It’s truly sad that in the wake of a great human tragedy that touches every rational and sensitive person, we now face an opposition driven by bloodlust almost daily,” wrote Minister of State Akis Skertsos. He added, “They started with ‘a government of child rapists,’ moved on to ‘a government of smugglers,’ and now openly talk about ‘a government of murderers.’ And leading this ‘criminal gang’? None other than the Prime Minister himself.”

It remains to be seen whether Kyriakos Mitsotakis will address the prevailing political climate during the Thessaloniki Summit. His overall schedule is being adjusted in light of the informal afternoon summit on Ukraine convened by Emmanuel Macron.