Determined to show that PASOK can bring “political change” to the country, party leader Nikos Androulakis appears just 24 hours before his first appearance at the Thessaloniki International Fair as head of the official opposition.
Wanting to give a preview of what he will say on Saturday evening from the podium of the Vellidio Conference Center, Nikos Androulakis during yesterday’s meeting with representatives of social organizations meaningfully emphasized that “the Thessaloniki International Fair is usually a bazaar of commitments and handouts from the government of the day with eyes fixed on the ballot box and polls. PASOK will present a comprehensive plan.” “I think this tradition must stop at some point and be an opportunity for dialogue, discussion, but also presentation of a comprehensive plan that will make our country more economically competitive, more socially resilient, more geopolitically strong,” Nikos Androulakis added.
PASOK will present comprehensive plan at Thessaloniki Fair aimed at “giving perspective”
At the same time, the leader of the official opposition committed that on Saturday evening PASOK will present a comprehensive plan that will give perspective to all Greeks and put the country back on a convergence path. “Our homeland went through a difficult economic decade, social inequalities increased and the Greek people expected better days. Instead we see inequalities continuing to grow, the cost of living escalating, production costs reaching unimaginable heights, leading to a competitiveness deficit,” he noted characteristically. According to Nikos Androulakis, the result is “no clear answers, but micro-management, which the day before yesterday was expressed in a speech without answers and without a comprehensive plan.”
“We called you here today because dialogue with people from the market, labor, and production is an important element of politics in order to exchange views to find the best solutions that can create tomorrow’s Greece, Greece at the center of European developments, Greece that uses European program opportunities in the best possible way. How can we together build the Greece of the future,” Mr. Androulakis emphasized. “We can through political change design with credibility, responsibility, seriousness and progressive orientation the future of the country and the Greek people. Thank you again for your presence. From our side you will always have a reliable, serious and responsible interlocutor,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, preparations for Nikos Androulakis’ appearance at the Thessaloniki Fair next weekend are continuous, with meetings following one after another, so that Nikos Androulakis can present a comprehensive alternative governance plan. The central slogan that Mr. Androulakis will use is “A Greece for everyone” and will focus on social inequalities. Nikos Androulakis during this whole period has been receiving suggestions to adopt the familiar recipe of “hard rock” against the government. Moreover, this was evident from his speech at the 51st anniversary of PASOK’s founding declaration at Zappeion. As everything indicates, Mr. Androulakis will propose a costed proposal for a 13th salary, while it is considered certain that his speech will include references to labor issues and housing, which constitutes a major “wound” for the new generation.
Androulakis meeting with Bethlehem mayor
Meanwhile, on Tuesday afternoon, Bethlehem Mayor Maher Nikola Kanawati crossed the threshold of Parliament, along with the Palestinian Ambassador to Athens, Yousef Dorkhom, and Athens Mayor Harris Doukas, as the two cities are sister cities. Mr. Androulakis highlighted his recent initiative to discuss – as a priority item – in the Parliamentary Plenary the current situation in Palestine, aiming to confirm and update the content of the unanimous Resolution (Special Decision) of the Greek Parliament from 22.12.2015 for promoting recognition of the State of Palestine by Greece and undertaking every possible diplomatic effort for immediate start of direct peace negotiations. He made special reference to all similar initiatives undertaken at European level by the Group of Socialists and Democrats.
“Priority for PASOK, but also for the Greek people, is to immediately stop the ethnic cleansing unfolding in Gaza. And finally find a solution based on United Nations resolutions so there can be an independent Palestinian state. So that there can be prosperity and stability in the wider region and both the people of Israel and the people of Palestine can live in peace, with respect for human rights and international law,” Mr. Androulakis noted in his statements. The meeting was also attended by the head of PASOK-Movement for Change’s Foreign Affairs Central Committee, Dimitris Mantzos.
