About the European elections and the selection system in SYRIZA, his relations with Alexis Tsipras, but also the 11 who left the party, spoke Stefanos Kasselakis, in an interview he gave to ERT. The president of SYRIZA criticized the government both for the fan violence and for the visit of Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the tactics he followed.

Its president SYRIZA reveals that he suggested to Nikos Androulakis to proceed with lawsuits even against the Prime Minister on the issue of surveillance but he did not do so, while he maintains that “SYRIZA is the only governing party that can run the country with clean hands”.

Excerpt from the interview:

“The government is responsible for the current situation with fan violence”

Giorgos Kouvaras: You submitted some proposals, some of which coincide with the government’s measures. However, you argue that there is no political will on the part of the government to tackle fan violence. From where do you draw this conclusion when we see that currently some measures are being taken, there is also the involvement of Justice in the case. So why do you say they don’t have the political will? Where do you get that from?

Stefanos Kasselakis: We have not proposed measures that coincide with the government’s. The government adopted our measures, which I announced on Saturday to the Central Committee and which I also presented yesterday morning with a video. Firstly. Secondly, the government had the inspiration to add to them this horizontal measure, the exclusion of all fans from all matches for two months. It is the classic approach of the government when it cannot solve an issue horizontal measure everywhere for the world.

Giorgos Kouvaras: To deal with this phenomenon of fan violence, to get to the bottom line, in your opinion, is it more the responsibility of the government or the owners of the PAE?

Stefanos Kasselakis: The owners of sports limited companies work within a legal framework. Who determines this? The government. I think that answers your question.

“The government confuses business with success”

Giorgos Kouvaras: If you become the government tomorrow, also because you are a person who has already dealt with the economy in his life so far…

Stefanos Kasselakis: And I have also proposed a new tax framework…

Giorgos Kouvaras: Yes, but I want you to tell me beyond the new tax framework, if SYRIZA took a measure that would make a difference, what would it be in the Greek economy? What do you think is the one thing that can make the difference?

Stefanos Kasselakis: The one economic measure is the abolition of advance payment of income tax for businesses. I believe this will cause a huge injection of liquidity in the economy and can also solve a large part of tax evasion. Because finally someone will be able to pay based on their results and not based on a theoretical profit. The government confuses business with success, this is very important, but the most structural issue that we should change is clearly the issue of justice.

Giorgos Kouvaras: Half a minute before we go there, won’t what you say have a financial cost?

Stefanos Kasselakis: No, he hasn’t. Because it’s a matter of cash flow. It’s not a matter of cost, It’s not a provision. In essence, you are telling a business that instead of having the tax upfront, you pay it a few months later. And do you know what happens in this process? This liquidity is reinvested in the economy. So you may have a positive return within two or three years. So yes, it is a financial issue, but it also helps the economy.

“You don’t make foreign policy with treats for Peanut”

George Kouvaras: The way in which the Greek government welcomed Erdogan and what he discussed with him and the message that was sent after this meeting, to the extent that you know things because I imagine that you are still in the phase of being informed by the government as well , does this constitute political bowing? So the government did something that in your opinion it should not have done in these meetings?

Stefanos Kasselakis: This is up to each and every one of us. My point is that you don’t do foreign policy with treats to Peanut and bowing to Erdogan.

“Mr. Androulakis should have sued Mr. Mitsotakis and the EYP”

“The investigation into EYP and Predator is an investigation that may or may not end up somewhere in the state in which we live. And I would like to tell you about this, as I have told Mr. Mitsotakis himself, that he has the right by law to remove the secrecy of the EYP executives who were under his supervision, he was their political superior. He told me in his office at the Parliament, he told me that he does not want to get involved in the Judiciary. I tell him it’s not about engagement, it’s about disengagement and whatever you say, go ahead and do justice to your work. And it would also be good if Mr. Androulakis filed a lawsuit against Mr. Mitsotakis and the EYP commanders from the moment he knows that he was being watched. Let’s find out from there what’s going on” Stefanos Kasselakis said at another point of his interview.

Giorgos Kouvaras: Have you told him about Mr. Androulakis?

Stefanos Kasselakis: Yes, I have told him.

Giorgos Kouvaras: And what did he answer you?

Stefanos Kasselakis: Ask him himself.

Giorgos Kouvaras: Was SYRIZA injured by the departure of the 11 or did it become stronger in your opinion?

Stefanos Kasselakis: This belongs to the past. Right now I can tell you that our organizations are meeting, that there is a very good atmosphere, a lot of new people are coming and when you produce policy with interaction with society, you win. It just doesn’t happen on the same day. It takes some time.

Giorgos Kouvaras: Obviously it takes time.

Stefanos Kasselakis: And respect is needed for the Greek voter with program proposals. Greek men and women will clearly know that we have a European program that will take them through Brussels and Strasbourg and then change their lives in Greece. Because European legislation is very important.

Giorgos Kouvaras: Can the recovery of SYRIZA be done without cooperation with neighboring areas?

Stefanos Kasselakis: I already answered you before. The only neighboring space is whoever has the political, economic and in every other respect social independence to be able to change the country[…] I am clear, we are the only ruling party which can run the country with clean hands.

“My relationship with Alexis Tsipras is excellent”

George Kouvaras: I want you to tell me what your relations with Alexis Tsipras are. Are you the continuation of Tsipras in SYRIZA or are you a person who came to close a political cycle and open a new one?

Stefanos Kasselakis: My relationship with Alexis is excellent. The base of the party obviously loves him very deeply. I am very honored to have succeeded him. I am very honored to have run alongside him in between the two elections and SYRIZA is where Alexis Tsipras is.

George Kouvaras: When you say where Alexis Tsipras is, ideologically, politically, what do you mean?

Stefanos Kasselakis: SYRIZA is where Alexis Tsipras is and SYRIZA must remain deeply social and independent and be able to embrace people who will believe that it can have a reliable government.

“As for our ballot paper for the European elections, we will follow a preliminary election process”
Giorgos Kouvaras: Will we see prominent SYRIZA executives on the European ballot or will we see more new candidates who are not currently identified with the party?

Stefanos Kasselakis: That depends on who wants to go down with our party. Obviously whoever comes down will have to align with our philosophy, which is clearly, as I said, interventionist. We will stay with the European Left and the Left.

Giorgos Kouvaras: You will not continue the flirtation that started with the Eurosocialists? because there was a flirtation of Alexis Tsipras, you remember, with the Eurosocialists. Always be an observer at their meetings. So I don’t know if SYRIZA can continue this. And if you like a collaboration with the Eurosocialists.

Stefanos Kasselakis: Obviously there are convergences at the political level, but we will remain in the Left[…] And in terms of our ballot paper for the European elections we will follow a primary election process, where my responsibility will be to give the platform to a new world to emerge from this process. Because you know, for a long time our fellow citizens have been complaining that politicians do not have badges from work, they have not worked. Well, over here you have a politician with badges and all of a sudden I’m not… I’m apolitical.”

Source: ERT