The president of SYRIZA-PS, Stefanos Kasselakis, today gave a short interview live from Nea Ionia on the show “Smile Again”.

Initially, he was asked about the phrase “ministers kill children”, saying that “the verb “kill” was used by the first ND MEP candidate”, referring to MEP candidate Vicky Flessa.

However, a question put to him by Sissy Christidou made him take out the receiver and leave. When specifically asked about the political future of Spirtzis and Vassiliadis of SYRIZA, who clearly distanced themselves from this phrase, the president of SYRIZA refused to answer.

“I would like an answer, in relation to what Mr. Spirtzis and Mr. Vassiliadis said about this statement of yours, i.e. executives of your own party…” said Sissy Christidou and at that moment Stefanos Kasselakis interrupted her.

“Thank you very much! SYRIZA has an excellent Euro-ballot… There is no need for me to answer when you see in front of you the president of the party with the Euro-ballot he has chosen based on the party. That’s where you should focus, that’s where the future of the party is, thank you very much, hello!”, said Stefanos Kasselakis and left.

See the reaction of Stefanos Kasselakis at 9:05

“Whoever is terrorized by the party state will have me”

Before leaving the show, Stefanos Kasselakis spoke, among other things, about the tours he is doing ahead of the European elections and about Tempi.

“I am committed that we will communicate our message for a better life throughout the country,” said the president of SYRIZA-PS.

“We continue the tours in the northern districts of Athens, we have covered many kilometers, we have ‘melted soles’, together with the candidates for MEPs”, said Mr. Kasselakis who after Nea Ionia visited Marousi, Chalandri and Kifissia.

Mr. Kasselakis was asked about his statement about Tempi and “acting”, as he characterized it as a reaction of the ND and he replied: “The truth causes reactions. But let’s talk about the verb I used. The first of all to use it was the New Democracy MEP candidate, whom Kyriakos Mitsotakis has not dismissed. She said that we all killed those children. I’m so sorry, but I didn’t kill those kids. The residents of Nea Ionia, where I am, have not killed these children, the islanders I have visited throughout the Aegean have not killed these children, an apology has not been heard from Kyriakos Mitsotakis on this matter. Complete lack of propriety.” Continuing, he repeated SYRIZA’s position on the delivery of justice in the “crime of Tempe”: We are talking about a verb, while 57 lives were lost, people who could live today. Do we realize what you are asking me? All the Greek people want to see justice. The families, the relatives of the victims want relief and I wonder about a verb that ultimately describes a situation that we all know is true. Let’s have common sense in this country. Finally”.

However, he was also asked about his other controversial statement during the discussion with employees of the health sector in Preveza: “The people of the public sector at the moment, in addition to the job insecurity they experience with fixed-term contracts, which are renewed all the time, we have hospital adjuncts, in schools substitutes with very low salaries, they are afraid to speak to me and lose their jobs. They have been terrorized by a government that uses the state as loot. I tell you clearly: whoever is terrorized by the party leadership of the country while serving their function in the public sector and especially the health workers who save lives and on whom we relied during the pandemic, will have me and SYRIZA-PS by their side. End of story”.

Generalizing, Mr. Kasselakis said: “Finally let’s leave hypocritical niceties in this place to a secondary role. We currently want to protect wage labor. We want to bring fairness to taxation by reducing taxes for small and medium businesses, like here in Nea Ionia where a small business pays the same taxes as those who put up wind turbines and make millions. Is this fair? Why are we not dealing with these? Why do you present only those that ‘offend’ the propaganda of the New Democracy? Deal with the real problems. With the world that operates with double standards: same taxation for the big ones, they are stuck in the courts for years, they have no connections, they have no liquidity from the banks. Where does this thing go? And then we wonder if the truth hurts.”