Letter- complaint about “oppressive behaviour” during the last elections of the Federation of Greek Senior Citizens Clubs

The President of the Greek Senior Citizens Club of Thornbury, Mr. Konstantinos Dimoulas and the President of the Olympians Club, Mr. Panagiotis Drakopoulos, have sent us a letter of complaint and protest which they addressed to the members of the Federation of Greek Senior Citizens Clubs and communicated to the Federation, the media, Consumer Affairs and their clubs.

In that letter of complaint, Mr Dimoulas and Mr Drakopoulos refer to the procedures of the last elections of the Federation, which they describe as ”non transparent” and consider that they were not held in accordance with the procedures prescribed by the Constitution.

Indeed, they consider that Mr Kostoulias and ‘others involved’ have shown ‘oppressive behaviour’ and ‘prevented our Clubs from attending and taking part in the vote’.

The full letter of complaint is below

Attention:

• Federation of Greek Elderly Citizen Clubs of Melbourne & Victoria
• Media / Press Outlets
• Consumer Affairs Victoria
• Greek Elderly Citizens Club of Thornbury
• The Olympian Society – Seniors Club

June 2024

Dear members of the Federation of Greek Elderly Citizen Clubs of Melbourne & Victoria,

With this letter, we would like to publicly announce an official complaint to the “Board”, to all members of the Federation, parishioners, and legal authorities.

lt is regarding the unacceptable operation of the Federation and its manipulation by the current serving president, Mr. loannis Kostoulias.

Mr Kostoulias, had previously resigned as president and had reinstated himself as president. Subsequently he held new elections at the start of this month {June), which were held under conditions without transparency and in contradiction to procedures stated in the Federation’s constitution.

The Club – Greek Elderly Citizens Club of Thornbury and the Elderly Citizen Members of The Olympian Society State the following allegations:

Mr. John Kostoulias and associates involved for the process of the last elections, behaved in manner that is not appropriate towards elderly people, where oppressive and prevented our Associations from attending or partaking in the voting at the elections of a new “Board of Directors”. An oblique method was implemented so the Presidents do not attend and assert that our presence was undesirable.

Initially, as Organisations and members of the Federation, we were never informed about the candidates (who and how many had been nominated), so that our Associations could transparently vote for the representative or candidate for the Board at the Federation.

Both Mr Kostoulias (in consultation) with Mr. Georgios Karvelas, presented oppressive behaviour and prevented Mr. Kostantinos Dimoulas (President of the Greek Elderly Citizens Club of Thornbury) and the President of the Olympian Society, Mr. Panagiotis Drakopoulos, from making an application of candidacy at the elections for the “Board of Directors”.

Mr. John Kostoulias, in the evening, a few hours before the elections, contacted the president of the Olympian Association, Mr. Panagiotis Drakopoulos, informing him that would not be desirable and to not participate in tomorrow’s elections in order to avoid any “misunderstanding” or “physical confrontations”.

Finally, we were informed that on the day of the elections, Mr. Kostoulias and Mr. Karvelas persisted in several ways to prevent another member, from another Club, who had also nominated themselves from attending the elections or even entering the premises.

In particular, that candidate had officially submitted an application for the elections, every effort was made to avoid their entry, even stating to the candidate that they should leave or the police would be called in and there would be a commotion.

The member, adamant not to leave, remained for more than an hour waiting outside, until the two gentlemen finally decided that they would allow them entry.

All facts considered, we’d like to inform the Media, finally no elections were held, pretending that there was no need since there were only 7 candidates and therefore, only (permitted) attending elected a Board of Directors chaired by Mr. John Kostoulias.

Esteemed Federation members and fellow community members with all the above events, we are dissatisfied and disappointed, but we are adamant in reporting our allegations to everyone, that these elections were not held under democratic procedures, transparently and as stated in the constitution We also declare that we do not acknowledge this current “Board” as a legal entity.

The behaviour and actions of Mr. Kostoulias and Mr. Karvelas, degrades the prestige Federation, as it should be of the Associations of the Greek Elderly.

For the above reasons, with the consent of our members, we denounce the elections as unacceptable, irregular and illegal. We request the resignation of the current (unelected) Board and measures to be taken for transparency and reporting, the intervention of the appropriate government bodies and the finally, the commencement of new elections for the “Board of directors”.

Regards

With the approval of our group members