‘Orthodox’ and ‘heretical’ entrepreneurship

New Democracy lawmaker Themis Cheimaras speaks in Parliament, in an October 2019 file photo. [Pantelis Saitas/AMNA]

In a commentary published in Kathimerini on January 5, my good colleague Pantelis Boukalas expressed surprise at the term "orthodox entrepreneurship," which was used by now-resigned New Democracy lawmaker Themis Cheimaras to justify his company's business dealings with the state (a practice forbidden by the Constitution for active MPs).

As we recently learned, between 2019 and 2022 a company owned by the MP representing Fthiotida, in central Greece, illegally signed 270 contracts with municipal authorities and public bodies in his constituency, worth 400,000 euros.

In doing so, Cheimaras became part of the list of deputies who have claimed ignorance of the law (Article 57 of the Constitution) which states that "the duties of Member of Parliament are incompatible with the job or the capacity of owner or partner or shareholder or governor or administrator or member of...

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