<p>Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday hit back at accusations that he tried to cover up a sex abuse "scandal" involving a top thespian appointed by his government.</p>.<p>Speaking in parliament, Mitsotakis said the opposition and supporting media was dragging public discourse through a "swamp" and spreading "demagoguery poison".</p>.<p>The debate took place as the former artistic director of Greece's national theatre, Dimitris Lignadis, was scheduled to appear before a prosecutor to answer allegations of raping minors, including migrant children.</p>.<p>Lignadis, 56, resigned on February 6 citing a "toxic climate of rumours, innuendo and leaks".</p>.<p>In police custody since the weekend, he has strongly denied the allegations.</p>.<p>Opposition parties have accused the government of dragging its feet in the investigation, which could have led to the destruction of valuable evidence.</p>.<p>Main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras on Thursday told parliament the case amounted to a "major scandal involving an attempted cover-up", accusing the prime minister of "hypocrisy" and other ministers of "lying" to the public.</p>.<p>The Lignadis case is the latest in a belated #MeToo awakening in Greece involving allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and bullying in the fields of arts, sport and education that have rocked the country in recent weeks.</p>.<p>A related judicial inquiry is under way into claims that migrant children had been molested between 2017 and 2018.</p>.<p>The government has promised to introduce a new ethics code to prevent future abuse cases.</p>.<p>More than three years after the #MeToo movement surfaced in the United States, the code of silence in Greece was broken last December by a two-time Olympic sailing medallist, Sofia Bekatorou.</p>.<p>Bekatorou said that when she was 21 she was subjected to "sexual harassment and abuse" by a senior federation member in his hotel room, shortly after trials for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.</p>
<p>Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Thursday hit back at accusations that he tried to cover up a sex abuse "scandal" involving a top thespian appointed by his government.</p>.<p>Speaking in parliament, Mitsotakis said the opposition and supporting media was dragging public discourse through a "swamp" and spreading "demagoguery poison".</p>.<p>The debate took place as the former artistic director of Greece's national theatre, Dimitris Lignadis, was scheduled to appear before a prosecutor to answer allegations of raping minors, including migrant children.</p>.<p>Lignadis, 56, resigned on February 6 citing a "toxic climate of rumours, innuendo and leaks".</p>.<p>In police custody since the weekend, he has strongly denied the allegations.</p>.<p>Opposition parties have accused the government of dragging its feet in the investigation, which could have led to the destruction of valuable evidence.</p>.<p>Main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras on Thursday told parliament the case amounted to a "major scandal involving an attempted cover-up", accusing the prime minister of "hypocrisy" and other ministers of "lying" to the public.</p>.<p>The Lignadis case is the latest in a belated #MeToo awakening in Greece involving allegations of sexual abuse, harassment and bullying in the fields of arts, sport and education that have rocked the country in recent weeks.</p>.<p>A related judicial inquiry is under way into claims that migrant children had been molested between 2017 and 2018.</p>.<p>The government has promised to introduce a new ethics code to prevent future abuse cases.</p>.<p>More than three years after the #MeToo movement surfaced in the United States, the code of silence in Greece was broken last December by a two-time Olympic sailing medallist, Sofia Bekatorou.</p>.<p>Bekatorou said that when she was 21 she was subjected to "sexual harassment and abuse" by a senior federation member in his hotel room, shortly after trials for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.</p>