New Democracy MP for Pieria, Fontas Baraliacos, spoke on Parapolitika 90.1 radio show “She and I” with Thanasis Fouskidis and Stella Gantona.
When asked about the Prime Minister’s and Akis Skertsos’s statements and the Minister of State’s reference to “feuds and fiefs,” he said: “Obviously we are a team, however there is the executive state apparatus, which, from the moment ministers are sworn in, they receive a blue folder from the executive state, where Akis Skertsos is involved. The executive state plays a role in policy planning for ministries. There are no enemies within the gates, I don’t know who Mr. Skertsos means, the basic meaning of yesterday’s article in Ta Nea was about citizen representation.”
Regarding comments about government and executive state functioning, he said it is “demonstrably successful during major crises, but criticism must be exercised, while our contribution to better government functioning is essential. The goal is to become better, in terms of deliverables, until election day, which will be around this time next year. We will be judged by our work.”
When asked if Mr. Skertsos is also judged by his work, he said “we are all judged” and that “we are accountable for what happens or doesn’t happen in the governmental field. We want to have a greater role in Athens decision-making centers.”
“Because demands, problems, and goals are transferred from bottom to top, because we claim more for our region, it must reach the final recipient, the government: We want greater intervention in decision centers for implementing regional strategies, so others don’t decide for us.”
On the MP-minister incompatibility issue: “I want to see the proposal, there are other proposals, like the German model etc. It’s not just about incompatibility, I don’t currently support it, but I reserve judgment, when it comes, let’s discuss it.” Regarding the German model strengthening the leadership system, as half the constituencies would be single-seat, he said it’s very difficult to implement in Greek culture: “We like to choose who we send to the Greek parliament.”
When asked about Giannis Pappas’s statement that responsibility for OPEKEPE also lies with project coordinator Akis Skertsos, he agreed. “The issue is old, when we voted to lift immunity last week, we felt very uncomfortable. The issue should have been resolved much earlier, the transition to AADE is a very good decision, producers won’t come to our offices asking when they’ll be paid, perhaps we should also create a call center, like the five-digit number at EFKA that allows every citizen to find out what’s happening with their pension. All this should have been done earlier and not now, with consequences for our fellow citizens and MPs.”
“It’s good to avoid top-down criticism, we’re all in the daily battle, we don’t all claim glory, but we’re all together, one team. Within a family, we can express our criticism, everyone must be careful in our statements and this applies to those chosen by the Prime Minister, who must be close to us, we who are regional MPs, we have a ‘walk’ in local society, we have the criticism that can reach those who plan the next day for our country.”
“I haven’t spoken at all with Mr. Samaras,” Mr. Baraliacos concluded, against the backdrop of relevant remarks that he is among the former Prime Minister’s interlocutors.
