EKAB union accuses Konstantopoulou of mocking rescuers during patient handover

The complaint at the centre of the row

The dispute starts with a complaint lodged with the Independent Authority for Labour Inspection by an employee of Plefsi Eleftherias, the party led by Zoe Konstantopoulou. The complaint dates back to February 2026 and accuses the party leadership of not paying wages owed for up to one year. The employee also alleges repeated demeaning and controlling treatment from Konstantopoulou, including remarks about how long she spent in the toilet and a ban on talking or greeting members of other parties. In the same complaint she claims she stayed up to 30 hours within a 48-hour span at the party's offices, without clear instructions for her duties. The authority was examining these allegations when the incident described below took place.

A fainting episode and an ambulance call

The head inspector of the authority, a woman, suffered a nervous breakdown during a heated verbal exchange with Konstantopoulou. She then fainted and was taken by EKAB ambulance to the Gennimatas hospital in Athens. Adonis Georgiadis, the health minister, wrote on X that the fainting followed the exchange, which happened while the employee's complaint was being examined. The EKAB workers' union alleges that the affair did not end with the hospital transfer. It says that when the rescuers arrived to collect the woman, Konstantopoulou mocked their professionalism and ignored the patient's condition.

Union statement and the health minister's post

The EKAB workers' union issued a statement on Thursday evening, 12 November, denouncing what it calls improper and unbecoming conduct. The union says Konstantopoulou told the rescuers they were staging a show to exploit the incident. The statement was signed on behalf of the board by its president, Georgios Mathiopoulos. Its closing sentence reads:

“It is unthinkable that a member of the Greek Parliament should engage in such unacceptable behaviour towards public servants and a patient, our fellow citizen.”

Earlier that day, Georgiadis praised the rescuers for following medical protocols strictly and for having the courage to denounce Konstantopoulou's conduct, which he described as bullying. He also said it was entirely out of order for EKAB staff to be prevented from doing their job. In closing his post he wrote:

“The behaviour of the Madam President has now exceeded every limit.”

Labour minister visits the inspector

Labour minister Niki Kerameus visited the inspector in hospital and posted about the visit on X on Thursday afternoon. Her post describes the authority's work as critical for enforcing labour law and protecting workers. She wrote that the authority's officials must be able to carry out their duties with independence and dignity, free of pressure or attack. Kerameus stressed the principle behind her visit:

“Respect for institutions and their officials, and the unhindered application of labour law, are non-negotiable principles of any democratic state.”

All three public statements, from the union, the health minister and the labour minister, came on the same day, Thursday, 12 November.