The key figures that Maria Karystianou will rely on for the party she is forming are gradually being revealed, with her lawyer and close collaborator, Maria Gratsia, stating that the “Committee of Wise” consists of “excellent personalities with very good educational backgrounds” who approached Maria Karystianou “on their own initiative.”
In the same way, some people began promoting themselves as “wise” members on their own initiative, without any denial from the Karystianou-Gratsia duo, while by February we are expected to learn who are “all the president’s people,” although she herself doesn’t want to sit in the presidential chair now, but waits to be placed there by “popular will.”
Yesterday, when asked about the party she is preparing and whether it has a specific ideological identity, Maria Karystianou essentially described a supermarket-party, posing the rhetorical question: “When such a magnificent citizens’ movement is taking place, coming from all sectors, how can we characterize it with a specific ideology?” She added: “You will see everything, it will be very detailed.”
Who are Maria Karystianou’s collaborators for the new party
Regarding the “shadow government” being formed, an interesting case is Maria Negreponte-Delivani, as her undoubtedly rich academic CV sometimes contradicts her public presence in political affairs, where she has caused concern and objections. She is a highly educated 92-year-old economist who was the first Greek woman rector at the University of Macedonia.
She claims she will have the role of economic advisor in the new party and is reportedly preparing the economic program, causing anxiety among those who remember her from the economic crisis period, as she was for years an advocate of returning to the drachma.
In her journey, she has been associated at various times with Zoe Konstantopoulou and Panagiotis Lafazanis, while she has spoken to all political sectors, from LAE in 2015 to far-right formations. Although she tried to distance herself from her presence in the motley “drachma front,” it appears she remains an active member in the respective “rupture front,” whose main representative today appears to be Maria Karystianou.
Mathematics professor Athanasios Tsokas also announced his participation in the “wise” team, who was a parliamentary candidate with NIKI in Evia in 2023. However, yesterday he was forced to admit that “I am not a member of the committee” and that he simply “sent my economic proposals to Mrs. Karystianou and she replied ‘thank you very much,'” while adding that “God has endowed me with many talents!”
“The wise man for one day”
While the multi-talented “wise man for one day” departed very quickly from the “shadow government,” another person confirmed to belong to her wider circle of collaborators is Michalis Patsikas, who became known mainly for being the head organizer of the Macedonian rallies during 2018-2019, while during the pandemic he led the anti-vaccination movement, together with Pharmacology professor Dimitris Kouvelas. Former president of the Greek Weightlifting Federation, Nikos Skiadas, is also said to be among the “wise” members.
The most certain is Maria Gratsia, while one of Maria Karystianou’s “wise” members is expected to be her advocate, Stelios Sourlas, who revealed that he wants monarchy and adultery to be put to referendum. However, as contacts continue for forming the “Committee of Wise,” it’s worth noting that there have been several contacts that have failed, with the most well-known case concerning Maria Karystianou’s approach to Yannis Smaragdis, with the famous director politely declining the proposal.
Published in “Apogevmatini”.
