“Unfortunately, Mr. Borel and Mrs. Von der Layen are under the circumstances,” PASOK – Movement for Change president Nikos Androulakis told Real FM radio.
Starting with the big issue of the crisis in Ukraine, Mr. Androulakis stressed that “Mr. Soltz and Mr. Macron had to go together to Mr. Putin and Mr. Biden. Demonstrate a common strategic plan for tackling this escalation. “Unfortunately, Mr Borrell and Mrs Von der Layen are under the circumstances.” As for yesterday’s announcements of Mr. Borrell, he commented that they show that this situation is not taken seriously.
“Unless we have a common foreign policy and the people who can serve a European strategy in extreme situations, things get difficult. Faces, as we see, do not have this power, this personality. “I am afraid we are at a very critical juncture, which will have terrible side effects on the European economy,” he said.
As for the issue of sanctions, Mr. Androulakis noted that it is not possible to ask for unanimity in the Council on such serious issues. “We have to go to the simple majority. “As long as there is unanimity on sanctions and a common foreign policy, Europe will have a pluralism that creates gaps for various players in the wider region to make moves against Europe.”
“When you look at the short term and not the long term, unfortunately you find everything in front of you.”
“EU countries can not sell weapons to Turkey”
Citing sanctions against Turkey as an example, he said he took the issue of the arms embargo to the European Parliament on his own initiative and was voted on last September. “It was not common sense. The point now is for it to be not only an official position of Parliament, but also of the Council. “We must finally have a common strategy on arms exports.”
As Greece proceeds with large armaments to be shielded, Mr. Androulakis noted that “we can not buy weapons from France and Turkey can buy weapons from Germany and Spain. When European countries sell arms and at the same time denounce Turkey’s challenges, they do not help. So we have to go to an arms embargo. “The Germans and the Spaniards, who have new agreements with Turkey, must stop, freeze these agreements.” He pointed out that a serious pan-European campaign should be made on this issue.
He stressed the need for Europe to move on to a new special relationship with Turkey, ie a new economic economic relationship, with automated sanctions in the new customs union, so that when the neighboring country challenges Greece or Cyprus, they are activated. “Put pressure on Turkey on economic terms, as some are now doing mildly, albeit belatedly, with Russia.”
“A new package of measures is needed”
As for the big one issue of accuracyMr. Androulakis noted that the government has given 2 billion euros to providers to reduce energy tariffs, but who they have gone to and how much they will help remains to be judged in the near future.
“The government must take a package of measures. First of all, a non-budgetary measure that will support employees is the increase of the minimum wage. This must be done immediately. “Our position is 751 euros, which is also the position of the social partners, something that we believe is possible and will immediately help people who are in a very difficult situation.”
About reduction of VAT on basic goods and the high budget costs invoked by the government, stressed that, according to the data we have for December and January, there is an overperformance of tax revenues. “The government is profiting from rising prices. It is 63 million euros for petroleum products, products and services 337 million, excise duty on energy products 112 million, other products 24 million euros, a sum of more than 500 million in two months. Shouldn’t this money somehow fall back on the market, especially to the weakest? ” wondered, commenting that Mr. Mitsotakis now uses the word money tree, “when he made – and the government brags about it – the fourth largest fiscal expansion in the world with 43 billion and donated 6 billion euros in repayable advances.”
“Is it possible to say that this policy succeeded when it again created a new increase in debt and a poor quality growth? For me, this fiscal expansion was done with very loose criteria, therefore it has not brought the expected results “said Mr. Androulakis, pointing out that” a government that looks at the long term and creates conditions of resilience for the economy and society, holds money aside for the future. “Unfortunately we made a very large fiscal expansion and now that there had to be money to support the weakest, that is not enough.”
Asked about her subject de-lignification, Mr. Androulakis stated that the solution is a fair and smooth transition. “A fair transition means going from minerals to green fuels, without impoverishing regions of Greece and without there being great energy poverty. Meet the challenges and have a smooth design. The problem that there was no such planning, we are facing today “, as, as he noted, Greece is the country that increased, in the energy crisis, the production of natural gas by 24%, when all other countries reduced their dependence on this.
“We have to do what other countries are doing. Greater investment in renewables. But to do this, we need a modern network of high interconnection, where the poorest Greeks will be able to put photovoltaics on the roofs to consume the energy they produce and be shielded from energy pressures. Also, hundreds of energy communities for stockbreeders, farmers, processors, to have cheaper production costs in the coming years. This should be the plan for the diffusion of renewable sources in the Greek economy and not a game of 3-4 large companies “, said Mr. Androulakis, emphasizing that the resources of the Recovery Fund should be utilized in this direction. “At the same time, to stop being an energy isolated country and to build modern interconnection cables of the country with other countries in the region.”
He also pointed out the need for precautionary policies, such as the ceiling on the adjustment clause so that not only consumers and the state, but also providers, bear the burden of the energy crisis. “To have a more stabilizing policy. Why do not we regulate the market? We need precautionary policies and not, when the bomb explodes in our hands to run to prevent things that unfortunately we did not anticipate. “This is for me the policy of the future,” he commented.
Also referring to the topic of high rents, noted that 40% of citizens’ income today is directed to the cost of housing when in Europe the average is 25%. “The other countries, in order to prevent this big problem, are making social housing programs, that is, they are renting houses at a very low cost,” Mr. Androulakis explained, citing the example of Portugal, which with 2.5 billion from the Recovery Fund announced 26,000 social benefits. housing, Spain with 1 billion for 20,000 new homes and Italy with 2.8 billion for at least 10,000 supported homes. “Why don’t we do that? “Is not this an issue that hinders the demographic situation of the country because young couples can not have large families?” he wondered.
Asked about Regling placement who reopened the issue of high debt, Mr. Androulakis replied that “we are in danger of all the changes that are happening in Europe and the world, if we do not have a strategy to address the new challenges. “Greece must have a strong growth in the coming years, of the order of 2-3% steadily, in order not to experience new adventures”.
He added that “in order to have this steady growth, the Recovery Fund should not be transformed into a new NSRF, which we cut into slices for small projects, but should become a tool that will build a modern, extroverted economy with strong competition and more.” exports. “If we plan a dynamic economy, our country will be able to manage its debts in the long run.”
On the issue of elections, he said: “We are ready whenever elections take place. Besides, we are the only party that rises in the polls, at a time when both ND and SYRIZA are falling. But to be realistic. Whether you ask for elections or not, the Prime Minister has the knife and the melon to call the elections. “My job is to prepare our party with a modern social democratic program, modern positions and competitive ballots in order to gain more political power.”
He even asked, “What does ‘I call elections’ mean?” Another I want elections and another I ask for elections. To speak in theory? Shall we speak rhetorically? We proved in the motion of censure that the government is not doing it. Is that what you mean? “The government is not doing it, it has failed.”
“Better choice for a social democratic government”
Mr. Androulakis was called to answer about the equal distances, saying that “first of all we move with value. We say what we feel and believe, whether we are bothering Mr. Mitsotakis or Mr. Tsipras. We do not govern with a measuring tape. Mr. Mitsotakis and Mr. Tsipras are annoyed because they see a new dynamic. It is an argument identical for themselves, that is, that we keep equal distances. We are moving with dignity “. In the same context, he stated the following: “I was attacked by Mr. Polakis. Did I ask anyone to support me? My party answered. “Here we have to talk about everything and everyone.”
Referring to the issue of the so-called progressive governance, stressed that “for me the best choice for the Greek people is a social democratic government. What does social democratic government mean? Ideologically, it means a government that respects institutions and democracy, that strengthens institutions. Today we read that there were cases of people close to Mr. Tsipras and Mr. Kammenos who are alleged to have played a leading role in blackmail. There must be no shadows in the political system. “Justice must shed light on all these issues.”
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