Greek television presenter Nikos Stravelakis erupted on air during a broadcast on OPEN TV against lawyer Charalampos Lykoudis over a canceled television appearance.
Stravelakis said he had personally arranged a live connection time with Lykoudis, who represents the family of G. Mazonakis. However, the presenter learned during the live show that the attorney had appeared on a rival television channel instead.
According to Stravelakis, an OPEN camera crew was waiting on site to broadcast the segment live on air. When the control room informed him that Lykoudis was appearing on another network, Stravelakis sent the attorney a text message asking him to respect their agreement and keep his word.
Stravelakis said he called Lykoudis on the telephone as soon as the attorney completed his appearance on the competing station. The journalist claimed that Lykoudis spoke to him disrespectfully during the call, asking Stravelakis if he was really accusing him of failing to keep his word.
Addressing viewers live on OPEN TV before turning to the Mazonakis case, Stravelakis publicly condemned the attorney's behavior. He said Lykoudis should be ashamed of his actions and questioned who the lawyer thought he was to address a news professional in that manner.
On-air confrontation and Bar Association report
Stravelakis stated that he had never taken such public action on air in his 40 years working in journalism. He emphasized that he is also a legal professional himself and argued that the attorney's conduct was entirely inappropriate for someone practicing the legal profession under oath.
During the broadcast, Stravelakis declared that he would formally report Lykoudis to the Athens Bar Association later that day. He added that the Mazonakis family and the professional association should reflect on how the lawyer conducts his official duties.
The Athens Bar Association is the regulatory body responsible for governing lawyers practicing in the Greek capital. It enforces professional standards, investigates complaints against legal professionals, and administers disciplinary measures when ethics violations occur.
Investigation into the Mazonakis case
The scheduled television appearance was intended to cover the ongoing case surrounding G. Mazonakis, who Stravelakis said lost his life unfairly. Addressing his co-host Katerina on air, Stravelakis explained that the news broadcast was attempting to bring light to mistakes and crimes so that no other person would lose their life.
OPEN TV is a nationwide commercial television network based in Athens, Greece, offering daily news broadcasts and current affairs programming. In live television journalism, networks rely on designated broadcast slots and mobile technical crews to deliver timely reports on ongoing legal cases.
Stravelakis expressed total surprise at the encounter, adding that he had never previously experienced a lawyer or public officer speaking to him in such a manner throughout his four decades in broadcasting.
