The refusal of Socrates Famellos to accept Nikos Androulakis’ invitation to attend an event within the framework of the PASOK congress stems from the fact that at Koumoundourou they perceive that this move has nothing to do with progressive cooperation but with enhancing the profile of the main opposition leader.
What SYRIZA sees in Androulakis’ invitation to Famellos
As Koumoundourou officials said, the fact that until today the leadership of Charilaou Trikoupi has not referred even minimally to the invitation that the SYRIZA president has extended for a long time, but invites Socrates Famellos to the congress shows that Nikos Androulakis’ goal is to strengthen his left-progressive profile, at a time when he is under pressure within his party for a resolution that would exclude cooperation with New Democracy. “Socrates Famellos obviously does not wish at this particular moment to serve the plans of the PASOK president by taking on the role of a willing extra,” they comment at Koumoundourou.
Thus yesterday with his letter he responded negatively, noting that SYRIZA will be represented by Parliamentary Group Secretary Dionysis Kalamatianous who, however, will not attend the table of the event on the constitution and institutions. “I do not consider, however, that a programmatic dialogue table can be organized effectively and substantially within the framework of your Congress, as this constitutes a top internal party process of your party,” Mr. Famellos states in his letter. He also conveys that SYRIZA will respond positively “to any other public level of dialogue that either PASOK – Movement for Change, or another progressive party or movement wishes to organize in the future, and we will undertake corresponding initiatives ourselves.”
With this stance, Socrates Famellos showed that he does not want only SYRIZA to make concessions for progressive cooperation to proceed since this process needs bilateral moves. On the other hand, the associates of the Koumoundourou party president do not forget that until today Nikos Androulakis appears to speak about his party’s autonomous candidacy. “This position obviously does not help at all in implementing the scenario for progressive cooperation,” the same circles comment. As is known, Nikos Androulakis sent a similar invitation to New Left and to Alexis Charitsis, who however today at noon, barring a shocking unforeseen development, is expected to resign from party and parliamentary group leadership. Obviously the Patision officials are waiting for developments to officially respond to the PASOK president’s invitation. It still does not seem to be clarified whether he will do so with a public letter or in person, while regarding the future of the eight MPs who will follow him, everything indicates they will stay until there are developments in Alexis Tsipras’ camp.
The strategies followed by the two sides are, nevertheless, different. Efi Achtsioglou in her interview referring to Alexis Tsipras and the new political venture emphasized that “no one can start the discussion for rallying forces by excluding forces that position themselves on the Left and compete or will compete with a unification disposition.” Conversely, Panos Skourletis in his radio interview pointed out about the former prime minister: “can you consider that a person who was the generative cause of SYRIZA’s multi-crisis, can be the person who will rally and create dynamics against New Democracy?”
