Continuing his tour in Thessaloniki, the President of PASOK-Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, visited the Papanikolaou Hospital in the morning.

Among other things, Mr. Androulakis noted in his statements:

“The desperate situation is revealing, when 3,500 are waiting for surgery and there are only 7 anesthesiologists for 28 positions. While Europe gave 20 billion in Recovery Fund subsidies, the New Democracy is unwilling – because of its ideologies – to support the public health system. 2-4% of the fund is given to health, when countries with similar problems give 8-10%.

We consider the welfare state to be a priority and we have a duty to reduce inequalities, to have strong public education, strong public health, perspective for all citizens, especially the weakest and the middle class.

That is why our priority is to increase spending from the Recovery Fund to support and regenerate the National Health System. To have more permanent staff. Increase the salaries of health workers to the average of the European Union, because they are much lower. And of course to join the heavy and unhealthy. Also critical is the strengthening of a strong primary health care network. All these constitute a set of proposals for a resilient and just society.”

Afterwards, Mr. Androulakis met with the Mayor of Neapolis-Sykeon, Simos Danielidis.

“I want to thank the Mayor very much for the information he gave us, highlighting the major problems that exist but also the possibilities that open up, when there is a will.

He presented to us the initiatives for the municipal clinic, the KDAP, his vision for the just green transition and the energy communities that concern the municipalities as well as the citizens. Unfortunately, the government of the New Democracy in all these big issues, not only does not have any plan, but also does not have the sensitivity to deal with them.

In the morning I was at the “Papanikolou” Hospital. What did the doctors’ briefing show? That the New Democracy government is seriously damaging the National Health System.

From the Mayor’s briefing it also appeared that he does not really support self-government to be able to offer strong services to the citizen, as the first level of self-government is closer to the citizen’s daily life and his problems. As the party that made the reforms that strengthened self-government, we aspire in this new era to take the lead again so that there is decentralization of responsibilities, meritocracy and transparency in spending.

Stop the client state. We need a state that will function effectively. A state that will diffuse services and responsibilities. And not the staff parastatal of Mr. Mitsotakis who knew how to wiretap, star in scandals but did not know how to take legislative initiatives to really support self-government. And we have a duty in this very critical matter, PASOK to face all these problems that exist and unfortunately have not been solved in the last four years”, Mr. Androulakis emphasized in his statements.

On the eve of the start of the pan-Hellenic exams, the President of PASOK-Movement for Change noted: “I wish the Greek children good success. In our program we propose the National Baccalaureate in order to once again become the focus of the public school and not the tutoring schools”.