With criticism toward Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ choice to meet with Recep Tayyip Erdogan, while repeating her position on abortions – which she maintained despite the intense reactions that had caused controversy in recent times – and explaining that she was led to create a party “out of necessity,” Maria Karystianou presented the basic framework of her views and the political formation currently under development.
Maria Karystianou: I consider it insulting for the Greek prime minister to be given this ultimatum
Specifically, regarding Greek-Turkish relations, Maria Karystianou speaking to BankingNews.gr described concern about “Turkey’s aggressive stance” and the framework within which, as she said, the Greek prime minister is going into discussion. “Surprise and concern is certainly created by the fact that Mr. Mitsotakis, without making any announcement about anything, will sit at the table to discuss. It creates insecurity and many questions for me. To discuss what,” she notes, concluding categorically: “Under these conditions, no,” answering the question of whether the trip to Ankara should have taken place. “And if you want, I consider it insulting for the Greek prime minister to be given this ultimatum. Aggressive positions and an ultimatum and come let’s discuss, and the prime minister goes to the discussion without having made any statement,” she noted.
“Based on the data we have all seen as citizens, I speak at this moment seeing Turkey’s aggressive stance. Hearing Mr. Fidan, the Foreign Minister, saying that we will not get up from the table if we don’t find a solution, a solution and having in our heads a line that divides the Aegean in two indefinitely, without us having issued our own from night, without us having even said anything in all this attack we are receiving these days,” she added.
Karystianou insists on abortion stance
Subsequently, regarding the issue of abortions, Ms. Karystianou insists that she did not bring “it herself” to current affairs. “I will tell you that the issue of abortions was not brought by me to the forefront. I was necessarily asked a question,” she said, arguing that she speaks “as a pediatrician” and presented numbers: “we have 68,000 births per year and we have around 250,000 abortions per year.”
She also focused on the economic dimension that, as she argued, is connected to the phenomenon. “I also know that the number one cause for abortions is economic poverty. It is the high cost of living and I believe that a caring society should address this problem,” she said, adding: “It is not possible to have a serious demographic problem and on the other hand have people who want to have children but cannot support it financially.”
She further argued that the issue must be discussed more broadly, while announcing that the program of the initiative under development will include interventions for the cost of living: “society must discuss it and demand that things be done and you will see that our program includes many measures for the issue of high prices, which is also the main reason for the demographic and other and all other problems.” At the same point, she placed high prices as a factor that affects overall family formation: “High prices are an inhibiting reason for some people to get married, not to start having a family for one, two or three children. We have a very serious demographic problem and we must look at it with great, great responsibility.”
Starting a party out of necessity
Regarding the decision to create a party, Maria Karystianou connected her path with a broader social process that, as she said, “was born from society out of necessity.” “Before we start talking about the party, I think it’s fair to remember its history a bit, because its history and how it started, how it was born will give most of the answers,” she said, describing the initiative as a “citizens’ movement” and as “a real and substantial social opposition.”
Regarding the structure of her political initiative, she noted that the formation of teams is in progress, with emphasis on a collective process. “We are working a lot on this. All teams are continuously being enriched. The teams with new scientists who want to contribute to the initiative,” she said, adding that “they are 70% complete,” without yet having a name for the party: “For the name of the party I still have nothing to tell you.”
She also described the initiative’s identity as without “labels,” saying: “They have called me both far-left and far-right, precisely because there is no label on what we are going to do,” while adding: “If you want, I can say that we are talking about a new ideology, a new ideology that puts the human being above everything. Social justice, rule of law.”
