Through Venezuela came the first harsh confrontation between Alexis Tsipras and the prime minister, triggered by Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s statement that “this is not the right time to comment on the legitimacy of recent actions.” This view, as expected, brought fierce reactions from all parties, which considered it dangerous for Greek interests and the Cyprus issue.
Alexis Tsipras, in his statement, was particularly critical and explanatory about how the prime minister’s statement could be interpreted. After referring to Europe’s stance, saying that once again it appears powerless, he then pointed out that “Greece only faces risks as long as its current government definitively abandons an active and multidimensional foreign policy and insists on being the eager ally ready for anything, justifying the unjustifiable while vainly seeking some favor from its ‘protectors.’ And to understand this better, let us only wonder what it would mean for our homeland if one day other countries repeat, against Greece or Cyprus, the unacceptable phrase used yesterday by the Greek Prime Minister: ‘This is not the time to comment on the legitimacy of recent actions…'”
A few hours later, the former prime minister’s circle returned to the issue, saying, quite bluntly, that Kyriakos Mitsotakis took this position solely to curry favor, hoping for a meeting with Donald Trump. The same people also accused Kyriakos Mitsotakis that instead of retracting his statement, which—as they stated—exposes the country internationally and creates risks for national sovereignty, he chose to comment on Alexis Tsipras’s statements.
“Mr. Mitsotakis judged that it was not time to comment on the legitimacy of Donald Trump’s actions against Venezuela, raising with his statement the servility of an eager ally to a new level. However, he judged that it was time to comment on Alexis Tsipras’s statements, raising political vulgarity to a new level. Instead of apologizing for his statement, which internationally disgraces Greece as a banana republic and opens dangerous paths for those who covet our national sovereignty and have violated international law with the invasion and occupation of Cyprus, he chooses the path of political cowardice.
And he resorts to conspiracy theories and ahistorical comparisons of his own governance with Alexis Tsipras’s governance. Alexis Tsipras’s government, in difficult times for the country, placed national interests and the dignity of the Greek people as absolute priority. Alexis Tsipras did not treat International Law as a card, like Mr. Mitsotakis does, but as a foundation to defend the country’s interests in all circumstances and under all conditions.
He negotiated and dialogued with all important foreign leaders, in a spirit of cooperation, understanding, but above all defense of democratic values, peace, non-intervention, humanitarianism, and international law. Values that are in absolute correlation with Greece’s vital interests. And in contrast to Mr. Mitsotakis’s national unworthiness, he had as a basic principle that with allies we must speak the language of honesty, even if it is not pleasant. In this spirit he also dialogued with American leaders—Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
And he proceeded in our international relations with one basic principle: that if we want to defend our country’s rights, no one should take us for granted. And to no one, however powerful they may be, will Greece sell out its national dignity for any compensation. But how could Mr. Mitsotakis understand these things, when the future of his corrupt power concerns him much more than international law and the country’s future.”
