PASOK president Nikos Androulakis visited the Conference Center of Fratsion, completing his tour of Kythira, where among other things he commented on the “manipulation of the government majority” referring to the investigative committee for OPEKEPE. At the same time, he emphasized that “political change is imperative,” characterizing Maximos governance as a “closed, dangerous hypocritical power system that only cares about staying in power”.
Androulakis: PASOK victory means a different Greece
Specifically, Mr. Androulakis noted: “Political change is imperative. A PASOK victory means a different Greece for all Greeks. Democracy, justice and institutions will function for the benefit of the public interest. There will be respect for every last euro of the citizen. And not the state and institutions becoming spoils for each Mitsotakis.” “For today’s power system there is a special veil of protection for the domestic elite, imagine if PASOK had called dead people to the investigative committee. You are our only ally. We can make it, defeat New Democracy and prove wrong those who claim otherwise. Even with just one vote ahead, citizens will have better days,” he added. At the same time, Mr. Androulakis characterized Maximos governance as a “closed, dangerous hypocritical power system that only cares about staying in power”.
Androulakis on national issues
Referring to national issues and specifically the agreement with Chevron, he reminded that it was PASOK’s government that in 2011 with Yiannis Maniatis legislated the demarcation of the extreme limits of the Greek EEZ. “Why did SYRIZA and New Democracy delay for 14 years, let them explain to us,” adding that he expects to see the text of the agreement. “Turkey cannot become part of European defense,” he emphasized and criticized the government’s stance especially on the issue of laying the electrical interconnection cable between Greece and Cyprus and Turkish provocations. “Is it possible to clash publicly with Cyprus?” asked the PASOK President. Analyzing PASOK’s program, Mr. Androulakis highlighted the package of measures for demographics, which as he stressed “without regional development, cannot be solved”.
Androulakis: High prices, surplus revenues and de-Hellenization of Greek property
It should be noted that regarding high prices, the PASOK president sarcastically questioned the government’s stubborn refusal to reduce VAT on basic goods: “Does the VAT reduction ultimately pass to consumers in the islands?”. At the same time, he explained that “surplus revenues come from indirect taxes, only a small percentage comes from tax evasion. The ratio of direct-indirect taxes is European but opposite in our country. They don’t reduce VAT because government economic policy with surplus revenues is based on high prices.” “Greece is not for sale. The selloff of red loans and the de-Hellenization of Greek property is not development,” the PASOK President concluded regarding the current government’s development model based on real estate investments.
