Against the backdrop of the country’s foreign policy, the OPEKEPE case, and the country’s economy, former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras launches scathing criticism against the government and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. In his interview with “Vima tis Kyriakis,” Antonis Samaras emphasizes that the majority of international relations experts, analysts, and even pro-government journalists today denounce the government’s choices, while noting characteristically: “Everything that Kostas Karamanlis and I have said from time to time, all our concerns, anxieties, and observations have been almost fully adopted.” The former prime minister then states that “in such cases, common political logic would require at least some skepticism,” adding that both the prime minister and Mr. Gerapetritis appear instead “not only unrepentant and ‘infallible,’ not only arrogant but also politically brazen.”
Samaras on foreign policy: We are whitewashing Turkey internationally – We are exonerating it for what it continues to do against us
Subsequently, former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras fires accusations, pointing out: “Is Valinakis to blame for the Turkish-Libyan memoranda, the imposition of new fait accomplis by Turkey outside Kasos, the repeated slaps against Greece from Turkey, from Libya, from Albania, from North Macedonia, from Egypt, and even from Israel? Are the former prime ministers to blame for the warm pleasantries of the -by his own admission- ‘philhellene’ Gerapetritis with Tatar of the pseudo-state? And furthermore, what are these things you’re saying? You ‘don’t remember,’ you claim, initiatives in our foreign policy in the past?” He adds that “instead of the current prime minister prioritizing the national interest, instead of being concerned, he chose to continue the operation of transforming New Democracy from a party of principles into a party of ownership. A pity, for the country but also for the faction.”
Indeed, Mr. Samaras declares that he is “extremely more worried,” emphasizing that “with Turkey, through ‘mobility’ we are whitewashing it internationally. Virtue in foreign policy is credibility toward friends and enemies, building power factors, neutralizing challenges, exploiting opportunities, and creating alliances against a common enemy. Not appeasement that is called… ‘mobility’! In two words, with appeasement you will ultimately achieve exactly the opposite of what you want. Because everyone considers you weak, and while you dream of ‘calm waters’ you will have permanent storms.” He explains, after a journalist’s question, that “whitewashing Turkey means we exonerate Turkey for what it continues to do against us. Thus we lose supporters – and mainly we lose allies from countries that also have problems with Turkey.”
Samaras on OPEKEPE: What happened in Parliament exposes our faction
Regarding domestic current affairs and OPEKEPE, Antonis Samaras begins by saying: “What happened in Parliament exposes our faction. Which always operated with respect for institutions. What happened in the early hours of Thursday was an unprecedented insult and impropriety toward New Democracy MPs, but also to Parliament as a whole.” On the substance, as he says, he points out: “There were always problems with EU subsidies in the primary sector. And not only in Greece. But old pathologies do not explain what was revealed now. Here it seems they moved to… another track! Such situations, these networks that exist in the case file, expose Greece and the honest farmers and livestock breeders who did not receive the resources they were entitled to because the money was channeled even to suspicious networks. A new modern state body is required that will distribute European resources transparently and simultaneously guide the agricultural world in producing products with added mainly export value.”
“New Democracy has undergone a mutation”
Regarding New Democracy, Antonis Samaras states that “it has undergone a mutation. It has been transformed into something completely different. Let me put it in plain terms: you ‘order’ ND and what arrives on your ‘plate’ is To Potami, Simitis-style PASOK and… ‘a little bit of ND’! And that’s why it causes disappointment to a large mass of its officials and voters.” He emphasizes that “the prime minister must at some point take responsibility for his decisions, on all issues. He decided on my expulsion. It was the first time that ND expelled a former prime minister and its president. He did it consciously, he had pre-decided it.” When asked if he intends to establish a party, Mr. Samaras answers: “For now I have nothing else to tell you.”
“The economy needs new planning – We must build it from scratch”
Concluding with reference to the economy, he points out that “Europe avoided the worst, because it was threatened with double tariffs on European products from the US. On the other hand, Europe found itself retreating and folding back. It escaped the worst, but the compromise was painful for Europe.” Regarding possible implications for Greece, he points out that “we must prepare and act. But how can our country act in relation to the US, when there is no communication channel the way the prime minister handled things? (…) Today’s high prices cannot be addressed unless energy policy changes completely, including the ‘energy exchange.’ I say it clearly to Greek citizens: they should have no illusions, prices will not fall if this energy policy continues (…). Today there are many citizens who cannot make ends meet. Too many! The entire middle class is being tested. Much more so since the money Europe gives us doesn’t reach small and medium entrepreneurs. I’m not even discussing the lower class, it suffers! This situation cannot continue. The economy needs new planning. And I say it clearly, with the state present in several sectors. Not with subsidies. With reforms, deep and substantial ones though. Not communicational ones. With a strong primary sector and industry. We must build our economy from scratch!” concludes Antonis Samaras.
Government officials on Samaras interview: “The answer has been given by citizens three times with percentages around 40%”
Around what Kyriakos Mitsotakis said in his recent television interview, as well as the intentions of the Messenian politician regarding whether he will establish his own party, revolves the interview that former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras has given to the newspaper “Vima tis Kyriakis.”
Antonis Samaras seems to pick up the “gauntlet” again and some government officials rushed to give the tone of the response that will follow after the publication of the interview the former Prime Minister gave to “Vima tis Kyriakis.”
Maximos Mansion’s response to the former prime minister
“The matters concerning foreign policy have been said a thousand times. Regarding the ‘mutation’ of New Democracy: the answer has been given by citizens 3 times with percentages around 40% in contrast to the 18% that became 29% under the threat of SYRIZA’s arrival,” government sources comment.
