SYRIZA president Alexis Tsipras left an open window to grant a “pardon” to Pavlos Polakis, during his presentation to the political secretariat of the party.

Mr. Tsipras spoke of a “letter of brave self-criticism” and a “reevaluation of the original intentions”.

In more detail what Alexis Tsipras said about Pavlos Polakis:

“Today the agenda did not include the issues of our internal operation. However, Mr. Polakis’ letter invites us to discuss them. It forces us, I would say, to reassess our original intentions as well, because it is indeed a letter of brave self-criticism.

And despite the fact that self-criticism is an integral part of the party function of the left, we don’t see it often. And this is indeed an act of political responsibility.

However, what we must agree on is not so much the procedural but the essential. In order to win the elections, it is not enough to aim to convince only our electoral audiences. And draw our supporters from the same pool of voters.

In order to win the elections, we must also win over those who are critical of us. And this world is not convinced by shouting or toxicity, but by arguments and sober political speech.

So this is worth discussing. Can those of us who are fighting on the front lines from now on issue a unified, composed, sober and thorough political speech? Do we believe it? If we believe it, we can do it. This is what we all need to agree on today and commit to. And this commitment is what will judge our procedural decisions.

The main points of Alexis Tsipras’ presentation to the Political Secretariat:

We are in a new political environment. The Tempe tragedy was the final straw. The great majority of Greek society feels insecure and indignant. Resentment that becomes rage.

Everyone feels that they or their own child could be on this train. And no excuse, no attempt to disclaim responsibility, offset or cover up can be believed anymore. Because there is no excuse.

In the age of digital technology, the age when there are apps on our mobile phone to see the whereabouts of ships and planes, even our courier orders, there is no way to check two trains. Which for 12 minutes move in the same line at breakneck speed.

And the lives of the people on the trains hang on the actions of a single inexperienced and incompetent stationmaster, who was appointed illegally.

This image of disintegration and obsolescence of a public transport system is unfortunately not the exception. And this causes the insecurity and indignation of the citizens.

For the last four years this has been the rule for the Mitsotakis government. Depreciation of public organizations. Deforestation of personnel. Privatization of services. Partnerships with individuals. The common good, quality and above all safety comes second.

What comes first is profit for individuals. And the bribery, the client state for the blue children.

The government’s handling of the tragedy was equally tragic. From the first moment, Mr. Mitsotakis suggested the lie, the communication, the excuse. It’s the station master’s fault, was the first statement. After the outcry, the line was changed. We’re all to blame, it happened. Everyone but no one in particular. Everyone but not the head of the so-called staff state. Which once again, he didn’t know.

He did not know about the Tsiodra-Lytra study and that those who are intubated outside the ICU die.
He did not know that Ms. Mendoni appointed and covered Lignadis.
He didn’t know that his nephew is watching half of Greece from his office.
He did not know even now that Mr. Karamanlis had completely discredited the railway network.

He did not know that those of our MPs who asked him questions about security were being attacked in Parliament.

And he ostentatiously disrespected the workers who were sent to him outside the court.

He knew nothing.

Ignorant and irresponsible prime minister.

Irresponsible and guilty government.

• Why the remote control center in Larissa was destroyed by fire in July 2019.
And it’s never been restored since, as yesterday’s shocking TV footage showed, it’s yappy.
If it was working, the accident would not have happened.

• Why the fatal station master was illegally appointed and would never have become a station master if he did not have the support of the ND party-client mechanism

• Because those hired with blocks, including the fatal station master, were unfit and untrained. And RAS is now asking for their recall from positions of responsibility.

• Because in the summer of 2019 there were 1200 permanent employees in the OSE and especially in Larissa 25 station masters. Today only 750 and 10 station masters in Larissa. As a result, on the fateful night, they were left with only an inexperienced and untrained station master.

• Why the secondary center of Karolos was destructured in 2020.

• Because the GSMR radio frequency communication system had been fully delivered and staff trained in its use since 2019. And four years no one put it into operation.

• Why the OSE TRAINOSE Agreement provided for 600 million investments from the private sector as well as the obligation of the public to proceed with the safety projects. Articles that were finally rejected in its final form voted in Parliament.

This is the truth. These are huge responsibilities. The criminal mistakes and omissions of the Mitsotakis government. But there is also something deeper. This government won the vote of the Greek people four years ago with the motto of the staff state and excellence.
And instead of modernizing the state, he dismantled it. Instead of bringing excellent and technocrats he brought the liked and dangerous. The only officialism in the state, four years now, we see in surveillance, in the manipulation of information, in the manipulation of justice. And this means that the new cannot be built with old recipes and old materials.

Nepotism, clientelism, favoritism, party armies and corruption.

This has been the state of the right for decades. A scion of the Mitsotakis family as prime minister. And one of the Karamanlis family as the competent minister, was supposed to have the responsibility, when a tragic accident brought to the surface this old and dangerous state for the citizen.

It is our responsibility to change it. Let’s transform it. With institutional changes. With transparency, accountability, meritocracy, evaluation of structures and services. And with support for personnel and structures where there is a need.

We have to make this clear to the citizens. That we do not wish to put another party state in the blue ineffective party client state.

But we wish to change the party state. We want an efficient and democratic state, next to the citizen.

This is why I have repeated many times that certain personal interventions cannot give the impression that we want to take revenge.

Justice does not mean revenge. Justice means institutional reforms. It means meritocracy, it means accountability, it means more democracy.

That is why I repeat and I will not get tired of repeating that we will not come to tear down but to create.

Dear Comrades

We have a very difficult election battle ahead of us. Perhaps the most difficult of those we have given so far.

And that’s because:

Because we know that in front of us we not only have a failed government, but a regime of prefectures and redistribution, which also controls a large part of the information.

The tragedy in Tempe that overflowed the glass of anger proved, however, that there are cracks.
And black can’t always become white.

But we must understand that the Mitsotakis government is not the only one facing our goal of political change. But also those who have an interest in supporting her.

We must take all this very seriously. Every day, in every step, every initiative, every movement.

The road to political change is not paved with rose petals, but with ambushes, traps, smear campaigns to character assassination.

We see them, we live them, we know them. And as their depravity becomes more apparent and the day of their defeat approaches, the more ruthless they will become to prevent it.

None of this I believe can prevent SYRIZA from winning the next election.

But I want to be clear. To cross the Rubicon of victory and change, the credentials that reality demands are necessary. Which the great social majority and the democratic party demand.

Credentials of seriousness of all of us and each. Credentials of unity in the daily struggle. Dedication to the common good and collective work. Companion solidarity that subscribes to the ethics of our policy.

We are not a party of deletions and prescriptions. On the contrary, we are a party of registrations. With open doors, transparent operation, open heart. But we are a party. Which means we have rules and collective edits. And no one can get out of them.

In our party, there are all the safeguards, the democratic possibilities, the functions, so that no one is silenced for any reason.

This is a non-negotiable conquest of SYRIZA. But public movements that deviate from our collective decisions and commitments frustrate and reinforce the myth that we are one. Well, we are not one of the same. Not in the way we approach politics, not in the opinions, morals, positions, the relationship of enlistment and selflessness.

However, in an environment of communication superiority of the adversary, we must constantly confirm this. As a party, as members, and much more as its executives. And much more when history showed us the great power of hope, democracy and justice, none of us and for any reason has the right to forget this.

Dear comrades,

Today the agenda did not have the issues of our internal operation. However, Mr. Polakis’ letter invites us to discuss them.

It forces us, I would say, to reassess our original intentions as well, because it is indeed a letter of brave self-criticism.

And despite the fact that self-criticism is an integral part of the party function of the left, we don’t see it often.
And this is indeed an act of political responsibility.

However, what we must agree on is not so much the procedural but the essential.

In order to win the elections, it is not enough to aim to convince only our electoral audiences.
And draw our supporters from the same pool of voters.

In order to win the elections, we must also win over those who are critical of us.

And this world is not convinced by shouting or toxicity, but by arguments and sober political speech.

So this is worth discussing.
Can those of us who are fighting on the front lines from now on issue a unified, composed, sober and thorough political speech?

Do we believe it? If we believe it, we can do it.

This is what we all need to agree on today and commit to. And this commitment is what will judge our procedural decisions.