In an interview granted to ANT1 television station to be broadcast on Sunday (8/11), former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras takes sharp aim at Kyriakos Mitsotakis, denouncing that he expelled him “hastily” from New Democracy.
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In the interview excerpt, given on October 31, Samaras states that New Democracy has been transformed into “Simitis-style PASOK with blue coloring,” while commenting on the Prime Minister’s attitude. As he notes, Mitsotakis during parliamentary discussions leaves without listening to others, addresses party leaders with phrases like “stop braying” and frequently talks about “armchair patriots,” elements that the former Prime Minister characterizes as examples of arrogance and institutional impropriety.
“What grudge could Samaras have against Kyriakos Mitsotakis? Who made him Minister? Samaras. Who made him parliamentary spokesperson during the Tsipras-Varoufakis semester? Samaras. Who consistently supported him for President of New Democracy? Samaras. Who was running around the whole country, as you correctly said, during this entire period? Samaras. Not for himself, but for the party. Are you saying I might have some grudge because he didn’t propose me for President of the Republic?” he noted.
“Samaras has no grudge, others suffer from nightmares”
“The problem therefore, make no mistake, is not that Samaras can’t stand one person or another or Mitsotakis. The problem is that Mitsotakis can’t stand the right, the center-right, nor the history nor the base of New Democracy. That’s why he has transformed it into a hybrid of Simitis-style PASOK with blue coloring. Therefore, Samaras’s difference with Mitsotakis is not personal. It is political and values-based. Samaras, in short, has no grudge. Others apparently suffer from nightmares.”
“I didn’t leave to return. Mr. Mitsotakis expelled me. Notice, he hastily expelled a Prime Minister before the newspaper in which I had given that interview even hit the stands. He was in a hurry. But for Mrs. Ferrari, Mr. Frappe, Mr. Hasapis, there it took them weeks to decide on their expulsion. It’s the first time in the party’s history that a former Prime Minister and party President was expelled. And he supposedly made this decision because he was offended over Gerapetritis. In reality, as I told you, he found an excuse to transform New Democracy into his own party,” he emphasized.
Indeed, he asked: “What bridges are you talking about? I didn’t see anywhere any sincere admission of error. In anything. Mr. Mitsotakis is always right. And all the rest of us are always wrong.”
