Greek Minister of State Akis Skertsos has blasted former Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras for comments the New Left party leader made regarding revenue and investment by Greece's power distribution operator, DEDDIE, accusing him of spreading "lies and inaccuracies."
In a social media post, Mr. Skertsos said Mr. Tsipras had questioned in a recent interview where DEDDIE's increased revenues were going and why more investment wasn't taking place.
Mr. Skertsos responded by citing figures showing grid upgrade investments have quadrupled since 2019, rising from roughly €400 million annually under the previous Syriza government to more than €1.5 billion per year today.
He also said underground cabling of the electricity network had increased eightfold over the same period, from just 200 kilometers annually in 2019 to significantly higher current levels, accompanying his claims with two charts detailing DEDDIE's investment and undergrounding figures.
"Every sentence contains a lie or an inaccuracy," Mr. Skertsos wrote. "Did no one bother to inform him that grid upgrade investments have quadrupled since 2019… or that underground cabling has increased eightfold? Or did he know and simply choose to lie?
Incorrigible."
The exchange marks the latest flare-up in an ongoing political dispute between Mr. Skertsos and Mr. Tsipras, whose New Left party has repeatedly clashed with the ruling New Democracy government over its record on infrastructure and energy policy since Mr. Tsipras launched the new political movement earlier this year.