Marinakis: PASOK's decision to abstain shows 'utter confusion'

The decision to abstain during Friday's vote to suspend asylum applications reveals that main opposition PASOK-Movement for Change is in a state of "utter confusion", government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis asserted.
"Today Parliament voted on an important and absolutely necessary amendment for the temporary suspension of applications for asylum for those who arrive by sea from North Africa, with the aim of protecting our country from an increase in irregular arrivals," Marinakis said, adding: "PASOK, once again choosing to pose as Pontius Pilate, voted 'present' [a vote of abstention]. At the same time, it showed itself to be in utter confusion as it also voted in favour of the 'unconstitutionality' of the specific amendment, going along with the proposal by Plefsi Eleftherias."
According to Marinakis, if PASOK believed the amendment was unconstitutional, it could not then justify its decision to abstain and history would show that, in the face of yet another major crisis, it had no real counter-proposal.
"In other words, by voting 'present', PASOK has shown that in all the major issues of the country it remains permanent 'absent'," he concluded.
In an earlier interview with Open TV, meanwhile, Marinakis had stressed that the government was making decisions "based on reality and not on the basis of ideological fixations. And this is also the reality in many European countries - I’m bringing the opposition down to earth with this reality. I believe that, for the government, what matters most at this moment is effectiveness."
As regards the constitutionality of the amendment, he had noted that it was based on a series of legal precedents and fully in accordance with the law, noting that a similar measures had been taken in response to the hybrid threat from migration in the Evros region in 2020.
He stressed that the aim of this policy was to send a clear message that those entering Greece illegally would have only two options: either to stay and go to jail or else to leave.