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Fresh War of Words Erupts Over Greek Space Agency

The man who replaced astrophysicist Stamatios Krimizis in the chair of the Hellenic Space Agency (HSA), has accused his predecessor of not being eligible for the position.
Krimigis left the organization only weeks after his appointment, claiming there was a lack of transparency and that he was called upon to play political games. He also said people who worked for the HSA knew nothing about the subject.
Christodoulos Protopapas, the new chairman, spoke on SKAI television on Thursday saying that Krimizis’ scientific profile as an astrophysicist was not appropriate because space exploration was now the work of engineers.
At the same time, Protopapas said his predecessor was not the only brilliant scientist available and the fact that he worked in the United States gave him more publicity.
“Mr. Krimizis is not the only scientist who works abroad. There are other Greek scientists abroad. It is just you, the media, that promote him more than others,” he said.
Protopappas also accused Krimizis of being supercilious towards Greek research institutes and of trying to impose English as the language of communication in the agency.
Finally, when asked about a purported lack of meritocracy in the HSA that Krimizis referred to in his resignation letter, the new chairman said:
“Meritocracy is not something that can only pass through Mr Krimizis’ screening. We are also worthy as scientists.”
Anti-Europe outburst
After Protopapas’ appointment as HSA director, main opposition New Democracy (ND) found a Facebook posting of his from April 3, 2016 and made it public.
The post shows Protopapas at the Temple of Poseidon in Sounio. The text under the photo, ND says, reveals Protopappas as being anti-Europe:
Greece will never die, you &#$*&# Europeans. When we were building temples and writing comedies and tragedies, you were living in the mud, eating raw meat, you were unwashed and spoke with sounds like the animals. Sunset in Sounio.”

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