“A prime minister who, in an interview last night, said that ‘the difficulties of accuracy are behind us’, is far from the painful reality experienced by the Greek people. He is the prime minister of virtual reality. Not everything can be done just for the sake of communication” underlined, among others, the president of PASOK-Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, during his televised interview with Mega.

As for them political associations, Mr. Androulakis pointed out that “there is an asymmetry in the political system”, and called on the Greek people in the next European elections “to respond to this asymmetry and give us the strength to be not only an official opposition, but a strong official opposition. So that there is a barrier to the frivolities, failures and wrong policies of the New Democracy. It is crucial for the quality of our democracy and for the proper functioning of our political system that PASOK is very strong in the next European elections”.

“The goal is one: In the European elections, PASOK should be a strong opposition to block the arrogance of the New Democracy. It is imbalance and asymmetry for the political system to have a party of 41%, which whatever it does against the people justifies it by invoking the 41%. No. With a strong PASOK there will be a counterweight to the arrogance and unreliability of New Democracy,” he added.

For what is happening to SYRIZA and his conference that starts in the afternoon, Nikos Androulakis emphasized that PASOK’s stance is determined by institutional respect: “He demands that PASOK not get involved in any way in this mess that SYRIZA is in and in its internal issues.”

To echo of the farmers’ rally in Syntagma Square, Mr. Androulakis refuted the government’s view that their problems are of a pan-European nature. “The farmers of the big countries are reacting because the ‘greening’ of rural development requires fallow on 4% of lots over 100 hectares, and since they have very large lots, they are affected. In our case, this “greening” affects us very little. If you compare the common agricultural policy money that Greece received some years ago with what it receives now, the differences are minimal: the failure is in OPEKEPE for the CAP and in ELGA for compensation from natural disasters” added the president of PASOK – KINAL.

Mr. Androulakis also explained the criticism of PASOK-Movement for Change on the operation of the afternoon surgeries. “In our program there is the all-day surgery. We are positive, but here I pose a question: how can you, with the staff shortages that exist today, make a successful institution of full-day surgeries? What does Mr. Georgiadis want to do? Should the morning surgeries be abolished to be performed in the afternoon? The problem of staff shortages is huge. There are thousands of surgeries waiting. For the all-day surgery to succeed, brave interventions with NHS staff are needed. We also argue that it cannot be this cost to the patient. An indicative cost must be entered. Is that what Alekos Papadopoulos was saying? Look at the amounts of money they were asking for then and what money the government is asking for now. The Greek people under SYRIZA were the third in Europe in private health expenditure. During the New Democracy he becomes second. If Mr. Georgiadis continues the same policy, in a few years we will be champions in the cost of private health expenses pan-European,” said Mr. Androulakis.

About the non-state non-profit universitiesthe president of PASOK-Movement for Change rejected the Manichean approach for or against major reforms, explaining why PASOK-Movement for Change will vote against the bill of Mr. Pierrakakis.

“We do not prohibit. We are adjusting. This is Social Democracy, it does not prohibit, it regulates. What does it regulate? To have a strong public university. Across Europe, 85-90% of students study at public universities. We need to reinforce it with resources, equipment, personnel and research. At the same time, there should be some non-governmental non-profits – and I emphasize this – with academic, economic and geographical criteria. With the government bill, all non-state for-profits – because that’s what they do with franchising – will come to the Basin. I heard Mr. Mitsotakis state the day before yesterday that if some universities do not produce good doctors, they will not find work. Seriously; So the market will regulate the academic level? We say Unified Evaluation Authority for both public and non-governmental. In short, we will not vote for the law because we want a clean solution to higher education and not the commercialization that undermines both a serious non-state non-profit and, ultimately, the public university as well,” stressed Mr. Androulakis.