Greece embroiled in abuse and nepotism scandal
Over the weekend the Greek police arrested the former artistic director of the National Theatre, Dimitris Lignadis. He had resigned earlier in the month, among other things after being accused of sexually abusing minors. Critics accuse the government of covering up the affair, also because Lignadis is a friend of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The goverment is being held hostage
In August 2019 actor and director Dimitris Lignadis was offered his position without a public tendering - just weeks after Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Culture Minister Lina Mendoni took office. TVXS is outraged by the government's silence:
“They are neither saying how or why Mitsotakis handed Lignadis the top job at the National Theatre, nor are they explaining why Mendoni is not losing her job. ... If the Prime Minister would talk about his mistakes with courage and decency, and make an attempt to show regret, the horizon might look a little clearer. It seems Mitsotakis is being held hostage not only by Mendoni, but also by Lignadis, who will have to start talking eventually.”
There's a long way to go before we dig up the monster
News247 makes no bones about being angry at the government.
“If they didn't know Lignadis personally, how is it possible that they appointed him by direct order? ... Why did Mendoni not resign and admit that she breached her duties by appointing him unlawfully? Not that her resignation will solve the problems, not by a long way. Our society needs a deep catharsis - that sweeps through the art world to politics and to the job market. If anything has been achieved here, it's the fact that big names are finally coming to light. ... But it's only the beginning. There's a long way to go before we have unearthed the long tentacles of the monster.”