Scientists, technocrats, and former SYRIZA government officials will comprise the scientific council of the Tsipras Institute, which is expected to be announced today.
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According to sources, former Education Minister Kostas Gavroglou will serve as coordinator, while participants will include former Finance Minister Giorgos Chouliarakis, Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister in the Tsipras government Dimitris Liakos, former head of Parliament’s Budget Office Fragkiskos Koutentakis, International Law Professor Charis Tzimitras, economist Eugenia Fotoniata, Dora Kotsaka (PhD in Political Sociology), journalist Antonis Papagianidis, and Zorzeta Lali, a European Commission official. It’s worth noting that Lali was eighth on SYRIZA’s state ballot and refused to resign to allow Stefanos Kasselakis to enter Parliament.
Among the names to be announced are also young scientists and Greek diaspora members.
Meanwhile, speculation continues about how Alexis Tsipras will proceed with his plans to create a new political formation. Sources insist that the former prime minister is not expected to make a general appeal to SYRIZA to create an umbrella party, but will instead make individual proposals to officials and MPs he wishes to collaborate with.
SYRIZA MP Giorgos Karameros, referring to center-left scenarios, stated: “A Big Bang is needed in the center-left. The Political Secretariat’s decision regarding parallel paths with Alexis Tsipras that should converge toward the common goal of a strong progressive pole indicates not collaboration, but expresses an intention. It’s a level-headed decision. Obviously, Alexis Tsipras won’t be an opponent, but neither a hostage to power balances, mechanisms, or other intentions. The issue is that society will judge in due time who is most suitable to lead the center-left reconstruction.”
Meanwhile, today an event of particular political interest on housing issues is expected to take place, with speakers including SYRIZA MP Katerina Notopoulou, Efi Achtsioglou from New Left, Open City municipal faction leader Kostas Zachariadas, KOSMOS Secretary Petros Kokkalis, and Vasilis Delis, scientific collaborator of the ENA Institute.
