Apology Issued After Confrontation in Parliament
Konstantinos Kyranakis publicly apologized to Peti Perka after a heated confrontation in the Greek Parliament during the debate on the revised Hellenic Train contract.
The deputy minister had sparked widespread criticism when he told Perka not to scream and remarked that Parliament was not her kitchen, a phrase condemned as sexist.
In a later statement, he acknowledged that his choice of words was inappropriate, noted that the comment did not reflect his principles, and said he had apologized both inside the chamber and in public.
Perka Condemns the Remark
Peti Perka described the comment as overtly sexist when speaking to journalists after the exchange.
She argued that the remark is a typical insult aimed at women when political arguments fail and accused Kyranakis of behaving disrespectfully and making baseless claims.
Political Reactions and Criticism
The New Left party sharply criticized the deputy minister, insisting that an apology does not undo the offense.
The party framed the exchange as part of a broader culture of sexism and aggression within the ruling party and stressed that such incidents are not isolated missteps.
Earlier Clash With Polakis
Tension had already escalated earlier in the session when Kyranakis and Pavlos Polakis clashed over railway safety upgrades.
Accusations of dishonesty were exchanged after Kyranakis claimed significant improvements in safety systems, prompting Polakis to call him a liar and triggering a direct retort.
