A significant dispute has emerged between former PASOK president Evangelos Venizelos and government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis concerning Article 86 of the Greek Constitution, which relates to the legal immunity of ministers. On a morning talk show, Marinakis accused Venizelos of hypocrisy for criticizing the government's application of this article, stating that Venizelos himself had been instrumental in its creation during the constitutional revision in 2001. Marinakis argued that the article was designed to halt judicial investigations involving politicians, thereby foreshadowing the current accusations against the government.

Marinakis emphasized that the government is merely following the legal requirements set out in the Constitution, highlighting a supposed moral inconsistency in Venizelos's stance. He pointed out that it was Venizelos who, in his role as a chief constitutionalist, introduced provisions that effectively shield politicians from legal scrutiny. The government spokesperson's remarks imply that if any wrongdoing is to be addressed, it is the responsibility of the political figures to assist the judicial process rather than the state avoiding accountability by invoking statutory protections.

The implications of this controversy touch on broader themes of political accountability and corruption in Greece as the opposition seeks to leverage the situation to tarnish the government's image. With elections looming on the horizon, this clash could influence public perception and voter sentiment around the integrity of political leadership, making it a hot topic in the ongoing political discourse in the country.