About 14,000 euros was collected by the “blue” politician and lawyer, Kallisteni Paka, from the Kilkis Chamber, providing “legal services” for “supporting Board of Directors and Administrative Committee issues, election issues, press releases, communication, promotion and public relations issues” . Although the legal status is not consistent with publicity, public relations and press release writing services, the fees of the third in crosses on the ND ballot in Kilkis are completely legal and accompanied by the relevant ADA (Internet Posting Number) in “Clarity”. The ethical issue raised, according to the complaint received by documentonews.gr, is that Ms. Paka had consolidated the image that she was working without pay without informing the local community of her (later) paid services at the Chamber, which she categorically denies, as she maintains that “the whole universe of Kilkis knew about it”. At the same time, according to the complaint, the issue will be discussed in an extraordinary Board of Directors meeting. on Friday, which was denied by the president of the Chamber, Christos Hatzimlades, before our communication took an unprecedented turn.
On April 21, 2021, eidisis.gr publishes the article entitled: “The Kilkis Chamber with the support of Mrs. Kallisteni Paka is preparing an investment guide to attract investments”. According to the publication, the support of the politician would concern the provision of consulting services, in the capacity of “special partner for development and strategic investment attraction policy”. All this given that “Ms. Paka will provide its support to the Chamber’s project without pay with the aim of the economic development of the place”.
“Unpaid investment consultant at EBE Kilkis”
Two years later, Ms. Paka posts on her personal Facebook account a photo with the president of the Chamber, Christos Hatzimladis. “Continuing the visits to institutions throughout the Kilkis prefecture, I met with the president of the Kilkis Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Hatzimladis, discussing once again the burning issues concerning the economy and business life of the Kilkis prefecture” he noted in the post that took place a few days before the national elections in May and added: “Being for three years an Investment Advisor in EBE Kilkis is unpaid, we aim together to attract new investments to our country”.
The first convention
After the repeat elections in June, specifically on September 25, 2023, the first service contract is signed between the Chamber and Ms. Paka. The contract provides that the expanded legal services will be provided from 1 October 2023 to 31 January 2024 and will cost €4,000 including VAT at a time when the annual fee for the Chamber’s main legal advisor was just €2,200 (plus VAT ) annually.
The second convention
On March 5, 2024, the Chamber sends an invitation for expression of interest to Kallisteni Paka. The contract was signed ten days later and provided for the provision of the same services until June 30, 2024 for a consideration of 4,000 euros excluding VAT.
The third convention
On July 8, i.e. eight days after the end of the previous contract, the Chamber again sent an invitation for expressions of interest to Kallisteni Paka, with the budget of the expenditure amounting to 6,000 euros (without VAT) and the contract lasting until December 31 of 2024.
“The universe knows it in Kilkis”
We contacted Ms. Paka, who, when asked why she did not specify that the status of unpaid service provision ended, replied: “Who told you these abominations?”. When we clarified to her that we have all the ADAs in front of us, she insisted on asking who transferred us that he did not clarify publicly that he was now working for a fee. We then read her both the article and her post that talked about unpaid services, clarifying that a few weeks after the post she signed the first contract for 4,000 euros. “Yes, but previously the previous contract had expired. It has a protocol in the Chamber, the entire administration of the Chamber was aware of it, the decision was taken unanimously and it was approved. When something comes out in ¨Clarity¨ can there be something more public? asked the politician and we answered that citizens do not usually wake up and go to sleep reading what has been posted in “Diaugia”.
Afterwards, Mrs. Paka claimed that he has 1,000 people from the local community who know that at some point he signed a contract and was paid by the Chamber. “The universe knows that I was in the Chamber and I was taking money” she emphasized and spoke of people trying to harm her. “I inform you that whatever is heard against me and is untrue, I will go to court” he warned and clarified that it is not a threat against the newspaper or the writer. “Why didn’t you clarify to the local community that the unpaid service regime has ended?” we came back, with Ms. Paka to answer: “What is the harm in this thing? How can I remember now why I didn’t do it.”
When asked how the issuance of press releases, communication, promotion and public relations issues are consistent with the legal capacity, the Kilkis politician cited the understaffing at the Chamber, which results in “employees not being able to respond”. “Why did you sign three different contracts?” we asked, with Ms. Paka pleads ignorance, adding that he did not expect the proposal from the Chamber. In a later communication, the explanation of Ms. The problem was that “we didn’t know if the collaboration would continue”. Regarding the lower remuneration of the main legal adviser of the Chamber compared to her own remuneration, Ms. Paka referred us to the president of the Chamber.
In relation to whether he is aware of the convening of an extraordinary Board of Directors. on Friday in the Chamber about her case, he replied that he did not know, adding: “The person who informed you told you how many other contracts of other people have been made in the last 30 years? Too many. All in the same way.” When we asked her if all these contracts were “broken” into pieces, as in her case, she did not know how to answer. Then, Ms. Paka acknowledged that some people, whom she did not want to name, have raised an issue about the contracts she has signed and spoke – without giving details – about a loan from the Chamber with a specific guarantor or about the debt of 80,000 euros which – according to her – the current president of the Chamber was asked to repay, as well as for the 300,000 euro deficit he found Mr. Hatzimlades still today delivers a surplus of 160,000 euros.
Nevertheless, she admitted that there was communication between her and Mr. Hatzimladis in relation to her contracts, clarifying that the president of the Chamber “has the right in some way to direct assignments”, but without considering her own case as such.
“What do you care about that?”
We also contacted the president of the Chamber, with the phone call taking an unprecedented turn when his wife intervened in the conversation while we were asking for official answers. Initially, the president admitted that an extraordinary Board meeting has been planned. on Friday, while when we asked him if this concerns the case of Ms. Paka answered us that yes, the Board of Directors is planned, but “it is not certain that it will happen”. He denied that the extraordinary meeting concerns the case of Mrs. Paka, as this will concern electoral issues and ballot printing. As to whether invitations of interest had been sent to other lawyers for the position filled by Ms. Paka, he replied: “Are you interested in this?” Later, Mr. Hatzimlades wondered why Documento did not call him in the 5.5 years that he was president of the Chamber and is doing so now, while he asked to know where we found his phone number. “I don’t know if you are who you say you are” he said raising his voice and invited us to his office in Kilkis, which we explained to him is practically impossible. “Invitations are not required for this amount” he said after a related question and we reminded him that invitations for expression of interest were sent to the ND politician.
When we asked why three contracts were signed with Ms. Paka, the answer was: “How did you say your name?”, and then she urged us to contact the ND politician. “You are asking about a specific contract and I have signed 30, 40, 50 contracts” he said and we asked him if all of them concerned ND politicians. “Of course not, I am not ND” he replied, blaming the ruling party for the fact that he is being replaced from his position. At that point the president handed the phone to his wife, who according to Mr. Hatzimlades is “a bit of a lawyer”. The wife of Mr. Hatzimladis accused us of calling his home at the time we called him on his cell phone, stressing that “we don’t know how you found out about this matter.” Added to this surreal scene was the president’s wife informing us that she would call the newspaper to contact the manager or editor, with the aim of clarifying whether she was talking to a real person. In any case, we urged her to call ESIEA as well.
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